Sermons on John 18:38
The various sermons below interpret John 18:38 by addressing the cultural and philosophical challenges surrounding the concept of truth. They collectively highlight Pilate's question, "What is truth?" as a reflection of the contemporary struggle with relativism and skepticism. Each sermon underscores the biblical assertion of absolute truth found in Jesus Christ and the Scriptures, urging believers to ground themselves in this divine truth. Despite the shared focus on the importance of truth, the sermons offer nuanced perspectives. One sermon draws a parallel between Pilate's question and the post-truth culture, while another contrasts Pilate's rhetorical question with Abraham's genuine search for truth, emphasizing the importance of the questioner's intent and relationship with God.
In contrast, the sermons diverge in their thematic emphasis and approach to Pilate's question. One sermon highlights the theme of absolute truth versus cultural relativism, challenging believers to align their decisions with God's will as revealed in Scripture. Another sermon focuses on the irony of questioning, contrasting Pilate's dismissive attitude with Abraham's earnest inquiry, suggesting that the nature of one's questions reflects their character and faith journey. Meanwhile, a different sermon emphasizes the transformative power of God's Word, arguing that truth is foundational to the Christian faith and urging believers to stand firm against cultural pressures.
John 18:38 Interpretation:
Choosing Truth: Aligning Decisions with God's Will (North Valley Church) interprets John 18:38 by emphasizing Pilate's perplexity about truth, highlighting the cultural confusion about truth in contemporary society. The sermon uses Pilate's question "What is truth?" to illustrate the post-truth culture where truth is subjective and relative. The sermon contrasts this with the biblical assertion of absolute truth found in Jesus Christ, urging believers to anchor themselves in the truth of God's Word.
Embracing Questions: Seeking Truth in Faith (LLMC Online) interprets John 18:38 by highlighting the irony in Pilate's question, "What is truth?" The sermon suggests that Pilate's question is not a genuine inquiry but a rhetorical one, reflecting a postmodern relativism that denies the existence of absolute truth. The sermon contrasts Pilate's question with Abraham's questioning of God in Genesis 18, suggesting that Abraham's questions were asked out of a genuine search for truth and a relationship with God, unlike Pilate's dismissive attitude.
Embracing Truth: The Transformative Power of God's Word (Covenant Community of Ellijay) interprets John 18:38 by emphasizing the importance of truth as testified by Jesus. The sermon suggests that Pilate's question reflects a cultural skepticism about the existence of absolute truth, which is prevalent in today's society. The sermon argues that Jesus came to testify to the truth, and that truth is found in God's Word, which should be the foundation of a believer's life.
John 18:38 Theological Themes:
Choosing Truth: Aligning Decisions with God's Will (North Valley Church) presents the theme of absolute truth versus cultural relativism. It emphasizes that truth is not subjective but is found in Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture. The sermon challenges the congregation to live by the truth of God's Word, which provides divine direction and clarity in decision-making.
Embracing Questions: Seeking Truth in Faith (LLMC Online) presents the theme of irony in questioning, contrasting Pilate's cynical question with Abraham's earnest inquiry. The sermon suggests that the way questions are asked reveals the character of the questioner and their relationship with God.
Embracing Truth: The Transformative Power of God's Word (Covenant Community of Ellijay) emphasizes the theme of truth as foundational to the Christian faith. The sermon argues that truth is not relative but absolute, as revealed in God's Word, and that believers are called to stand firm in this truth despite cultural pressures.
John 18:38 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Authentic Faith: Seeking Truth in Christ's Kingdom (Calgary Community Church) provides historical context about Pontius Pilate, describing him as a Roman governor of Spanish origin who was not born into power but rose through marriage. The sermon explains Pilate's indifference to Jewish customs and his ruthless leadership style, which influenced his interactions with Jesus and the Jewish leaders.
Choosing Truth: Aligning Decisions with God's Will (North Valley Church) discusses the Roman practice of releasing a prisoner during Passover and Pilate's attempt to use this custom to avoid condemning Jesus. The sermon also touches on Pilate's belief in polytheism, which may have contributed to his fear of crucifying someone who could be a divine figure.
Embracing Questions: Seeking Truth in Faith (LLMC Online) provides historical context about Pilate's role as a Roman governor and his interactions with Jesus. The sermon explains that Pilate's question reflects a Roman perspective that saw truth as relative, contrasting with the Jewish understanding of truth as absolute and divinely revealed.
John 18:38 Cross-References in the Bible:
Authentic Faith: Seeking Truth in Christ's Kingdom (Calgary Community Church) references Luke 23 to highlight the false charges brought against Jesus, such as leading the nation astray and opposing tribute to Caesar. These charges were used to manipulate Pilate into condemning Jesus, despite their falsehood.
Choosing Truth: Aligning Decisions with God's Will (North Valley Church) references the Gospel accounts of Jesus' trial, including the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover and the inscription on the cross declaring Jesus as "King of the Jews." These references are used to illustrate Pilate's internal conflict and the manipulation by the Jewish leaders.
Embracing Questions: Seeking Truth in Faith (LLMC Online) references Genesis 18, where Abraham questions God about the fate of Sodom. The sermon uses this passage to contrast Abraham's genuine search for truth with Pilate's dismissive attitude. It also references Matthew 16, where Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" to highlight the importance of personal belief in Jesus as the truth.
Embracing Truth: The Transformative Power of God's Word (Covenant Community of Ellijay) references Romans 1 to discuss the suppression of truth by humanity and the resulting moral decay. The sermon also references John 14:6, where Jesus declares himself as "the way, the truth, and the life," to emphasize the centrality of truth in the Christian faith.
John 18:38 Christian References outside the Bible:
Authentic Faith: Seeking Truth in Christ's Kingdom (Calgary Community Church) references Francis Schaeffer, quoting him on the nature of truth and confrontation. Schaeffer's perspective is used to emphasize that truth inherently involves confrontation, which Jesus exemplified during his trial.
Embracing Questions: Seeking Truth in Faith (LLMC Online) references C.S. Lewis, particularly his views on the nature of questions and truth. The sermon quotes Lewis's idea that in heaven, all questions will fall away before the face of God, emphasizing the ultimate resolution of all inquiries in the presence of divine truth.
John 18:38 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Seeking Truth: The Freedom Found in Christ (Refuge Youth Network) uses the analogy of a false promise of an Amazon gift card to illustrate how believing a lie can affect one's life as if it were true. The sermon also references historical misconceptions, such as the belief in a flat Earth, to demonstrate how lies can shape perceptions and actions.
Embracing Questions: Seeking Truth in Faith (LLMC Online) uses the literary technique of irony as an illustration, referencing Charles Dickens and the concept of irony in literature. The sermon uses the phrase "living the dream" as an example of ironic speech, where the literal meaning is opposite to the intended meaning, to illustrate Pilate's ironic question about truth.