Pilate asked Jesus a question. He answered him truthfully. It revealed something about Jesus to Pilate. The Lord came for Pilate as well as he did everyone else. He let Pilate know to this end was I born.
John 18: 35Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
We need the truth of this revealed to us afresh. Jesus declared his purpose for coming. It helps us understand who he is. For this cause came I into the world. You and I were conceived by earthly parents and received a sinful nature being born of the flesh. We bear the condemnation of God. We bear the problems that sin caused the human race in our bodies, in the environment, in nature, and in civilization. Our own behavior testifies to the fact that we were born in sin. For this cause Jesus left heaven and came to this world. He is the divine Son of God who condescended himself to become one of us.
Jesus was God the Son in his fullness. He didn’t have to claim a kingdom. He is the King. The way he came was needful for our salvation. God adorned himself in the humanness of Adam without bearing the sin nature. He was tempted in all points as we are, but he never sinned. He was completely innocent. He totaled the facts into one statement when he said for this cause came I into the world; to this end was I born. He came to bear witness unto the truth.
Step back and see yourself as God sees you. We need to see the truth about who we are. He came to bring us to the point of truth. There is so much that we question being right or wrong, true or false. Is this right? Is this wrong? There are many philosophies and religions. Pilate knew all about the Roman gods. As Procurator of the Jews, he became familiar with the Jewish teachings. Then one day he found himself right in front of Jesus. Girded in all his armor and the colors of Rome, he wore his life around him. His identity was seen by his position and his clothing. We do the same. We get caught up in self and who we think we are and lose sight of who we are in God’s eyes. Jesus caused Pilate to see himself as he really was. Pilate asked him what is truth? It got to him enough that he rushed out and declared to the people that he found no fault at all in Jesus.
Jesus didn’t come to flatter us or comfort us in our sins. He had to take us out of our self-opinion and our denials of who we are. We need to see ourselves in God’s mirror. This is why Jesus came: so we could see ourselves lost needing help. He came to bring YOU, to bring me, to the truth. This takes away our pride. It evaporates our dream world when we see ourselves before a holy God.
The best Christmas present is to hear the voice of Jesus. Let him speak to your heart. Let him show you how much you need him. Every one of us is the same—human souls that need a Savior. No one else can save us. Be thankful for the conviction of the Holy Spirit when he speaks to your heart.
Death is the great equalizer. We all become just a corpse under a sheet. Our soul goes into eternity. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. He bears witness of truth. Pray for him to show you truth. That’s Christmas. That’s Easter. That’s joy unspeakable and full of glory.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 