Sermon Briefs: John 18:33-37

James R. Bjorge's sermon, The King of Truth, is a rich mixture of definitions of truth drawn from both the New and Old Testaments.¹ It attempts to answer Pilate's question for the contemporary listener, "What is truth?"

Bjorge begins by referring to several types of prevalent wisdom--secular and sacred--but concludes that in defining the personhood of Jesus, "Yet there is another kind of truth that I believe is more important than philosophical or theological statements. It is the truth of the person." He additionally quotes Paul Tillich and William Temple to support this,

The impact of choosing Jesus (truth) and other things (falsehood) brings changes to all parts of human life. "If we identify with Christ and let him free us, we will be given the courage to be open and honest to family and friends. We will not have to babysit our reputations."

Then the sermon moves through first the New Testament definition of truth and then that one generally implied in the Old Testament; the former, aletheia means non-concealment, unhiddeness, while the latter means "to be firm, solid sure," (emeth).

In summarizing Bjorge's sermon structure, the headings indicate the three ways the preacher can speak of truth personally and historically: "The Source of Truth," "The Openness of Truth" and "The Reliability of Truth."

Recent evidence of personal and national fragility is a poignant reminder to the reader of Warren A. Sorteberg's sermon, Our Vulnerability and the King of Truth.² The sermon, although written fifteen years ago, begins with an eerie contemporary listing of the ways in which we are vulnerable economically and politically in daily life.

Sorteberg continues to ask what the nature of vulnerability is. Is it Jesus before Pilate, beaten, bound, trapped? Seemingly so, although on second analysis the tables have been turned, for Pilate is vulnerable before a source of authority--not of this world. "Jesus did not say the world is not the sphere of his authority. He says that the sources of his power comes, from beyond this world."

The role of Jesus as King of Truth plays itself out in spheres of our lives that cut exactly to the core of reality. "He will influence our will, our desires, our mind, our imagination and our loyalty."

Sorteberg also speaks to those who would bifurcate the facts of spiritual and daily life from one another. However, rather than being gnostics we are Christian: Our Lord rules in all arenas of human endeavor. It also signifies that "Our confidence is no longer in our personal vulnerability, but rather in God's eternal power, in his authority as the King of Truth."

The bold-faced headings of this sermon provide additional rich material for homiletical directions on Christ the King Sunday: "Who is Vulnerable Now?" "In, Not of the World," "Are Christians Exempt from Vulnerability?"

From a superlative collection of sermons by black preachers comes Caesar A. W. Clark's sermon, Christ, the Center of History.³

The sermon is very scholarly while being deceptively easy to read. It is equivalent to an entire book of ideas on Christ the King preaching. Not bound to any text, Clark focuses on the person of Jesus Christ as human and divine.

The sermon's beginning points out that there are many historical viewpoints. However, "Jesus Christ is the center of history. Jesus Christ is `the hinge of history.' For he takes all times off their hinges and becomes himself the Lord of time."

Clark uses a wealth of biblical quotations in dealing with the Jesus of history and the cosmic Christ. "Jesus Christ is the speech of eternity translated into the language of time."

Theologians such as Gustaf Wingren, Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann and Reinhold Niebuhr are used in tandem or opposition to buttress Clark's points. At the conclusion of these quotes and the discussion the reader [listener] hears that the life of the Savior has been discussed in its entirety: Jesus as incarnated, as Savior as eternal and resurrected.

Perhaps the greatest goldmine for the reader are the two concluding litanies, "A Final Word" and "In Christ We Have."

In the latter Clark gives close to forty responses to "In Christ We Have"

- A Love that can never be abated. - A Grace that can never be arrested. - A Strength that can never be vitiated. - A Power that can never be exhausted. - A Salvation that can never be annulled.

What is Truth? by Paul Tillich is a sermon derived from the existential period of preaching earlier in this century.⁴ The sermon is prefaced with a list of several biblical quotations which reflect the connection of Jesus as/and truth.

Tillich begins by speaking of the imposition of truth early in childhood. Truth, or what poses as truth, comes to us from several quarters. Finally, like Pilate, we must admit that "In all of us, open or hidden, admitted or repressed the despair of truth is a permanent threat."

Then Tillich offers a fascinating suggestion to the person seeking truth but finding it hard to locate--"Go with Pilate, if you cannot go with Jesus, but go in seriousness!"

There are two ways to avoid truth, to profess there is only one way, unavailable for change and information--or indifference.

It is only in the Gospel of John, however, do we find Jesus making an astonishing claim--HE is the truth. This is important for the faithful, because, as Tillich notes, "The Church very early forgot the word of our Gospel that He IS the truth; and claimed that her doctrines about Him are the truth."

How then do we arrive at truth? Tillich says "by doing it," that is by abiding in Christ. How will we know we have found it?

"Nobody can tell you this; but there is one criterion: If you SERIOUSLY ask the question, `Am I of the truth?' You ARE of the truth."

Tillich concludes, however, that most importantly of all, "the truth has taken hold of you only when love has taken hold of you and has started to make you free from yourselves."

Susan Hedhal

1. James R. Bjorge, Augsburg Sermons 2, Gospels, Series B. (Augsburg Publishing House: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1984), pp. 267-271. 2. Warren A. Sorteberg, Augsburg Sermons, Gospels, Series B. (Augsburg Publishing House: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1975), pp. 258-263. 3. Caesar A. W. Clark, Outstanding Black Sermons, Volume 2, Walter B. Hoard, editor (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1979). 4. Paul Tillich, The New Being, (Scribners: New York, 1955), pp. 63-74.