Wondering What Happened

Every one of us was probably taught the same thing growing up.
It was something we heard as we were being trained.
It is something we heard if our mother or father thought we were telling a lie.
Three important words that are probably seared in our hearts and minds.

Tell the truth.

I remember my mother used to always say the same thing concerning truth telling.
Always tell the truth then you never have to worry about what you said last.
I did not understand that when I was little.
As I grew up, I saw the wisdom in those words.

When you tell the truth, your story always stays the same.
Your story is not embellished.
The facts are the facts.
Your story is the same whether you tell it today, tomorrow, or the next day.

Tell the truth.

Some people tell the truth and leave out a few convenient items.
Some people tell the truth without any filter and give too much information.
Some people tell the truth only when pressed to tell it.
Some people tell the truth to make things better for themselves.

In a court of law, telling the truth is expected.
Failing to tell the truth can lead to criminal charges with penalties.
We have all seen the oath taken on our favorite detective show when a witness takes the stand.
I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Truth telling is expected.
Those in authority expect the truth to be told.
Those we love expect the truth to be told.
God expects the truth to be told, as He states in the ninth commandment.

Our culture has trouble with truth.
Our culture debates whether truth even exists.
Our culture declares that truth is arbitrary.
Our culture says: You believe what you want to believe and I believe what I want to believe.

Usually the culture takes this arbitrary position in the culture war.
When a stand needs to be taken on an issue, it becomes a matter of preference or viewpoint.
Truth is subjective or so the culture says.
Truth can never be known or so the culture says.

Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. (John 18:28-38)

They are only three words yet it is the question of the age: What is truth?
The answer to that question is one that the culture deems unknowable.
We, who are in Christ, know the answer.
We, who are in Christ, know where to find truth.

Truth is a Person.
Truth is a Person who is called, the Word.
Truth is not a matter of debate.
Truth is known.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

We know that Jesus never sinned.
Jesus always told the truth.
Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Truth came in the flesh so that we can know the Word that makes us true.

Truth came in the flesh and was crucified on a cross.
Truth was wrapped in spices and linen and laid in a tomb that had never been used.
Truth lay in the tomb for three days.
Then on Sunday, something happened.

The tomb was empty.
The body of Jesus was not there.
Truth was spoken all throughout the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Was anyone listening?

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. (Luke 24:12)

Peter stood before the empty tomb and wondered.
There was no expectation that Jesus would rise from the dead.
Even though Truth was spoken, the disciples had selective hearing.
So do we.

They heard Jesus say that He would suffer and die.
They never heard Jesus say that He would rise again.
Truth was spoken but was not heard.
Truth was spoken but was not believed.

Pilate asked Jesus, What is truth?
Truth was standing before him but Pilate did not recognize Him.
Our culture asks, What is truth?
Like Pilate, our culture never waits for an answer.

To Pilate and to our culture, What is truth? is a rhetorical question.
To those who are in Christ, that question is worded incorrectly.
It is not, WHAT is truth?
Rather it is, WHO is Truth?

We who know the answer, need to tell others.
We see Peter standing at the tomb, wondering what happened.
We all need to stand before the tomb and wonder what happened.
We who know the Truth must proclaim it.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)

The Truth is known.
The Truth is a Person.
The Truth has risen.
The Truth is alive.

Tell it to others.
They are standing before the empty tomb wondering what happened.