In 1997, there was a film starring Jim Carrey as fast-talking lawyer, Fletcher Reede, in the movie “Liar Liar”. At the outset, Fletcher’s five-year old son, Max, captured his dad’s character; he shared his parent’s occupations for his class. “My dad,” he began. “He’s a liar.” The teacher tried to correct what she thought was a Freudian slip. “You mean, he’s a lawyer.” Max shrugged. He actually wasn’t wrong in the first place.
When Fletcher didn’t show up, as he had promised, for Max’s
birthday party, Max made a wish when he blew out the candles on his cake; he
wished that his dad to be unable to tell a lie, for a day. And it came true! Fletcher is forced to tell the truth, no
matter what. It’s played out with zany,
hilarious results like only Jim Carrey could pull off. Even going so far as Fletcher not being
able to write out a false statement with a pen.
Ultimately, however, Fletcher learns an important lesson: the truth is
vitally important. At one point, he even
says, “This truth stuff is pretty cool.”
Twice in the Bible we read these words, “God cannot lie”
(Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). It’s not that
God chooses honesty; rather, it’s not in His nature to lie. Numbers 23:19 states, “God is not a man that
He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent: hath he said, and
shall he not do it? Or hath He not
spoken and shall He not make it good?” The
time came for God to step out of Heaven, and become one of us. Jesus “Immanuel” meaning “God with us”
(Matthew 1:23). It’s this miraculous
event that we celebrate every December! Jesus
Himself said in John 14, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is, as some theologians call Him, the
truth incarnate – in human flesh.
You’ll recall that earlier this month, I composed a blog on
hope. I left it on a cliffhanger
of sorts by stating that I was going to answer why I stated that Jesus is the
hope. So, what is my answer to that? Jesus is the hope because He Himself is
truth; He embodies truth. Thus we can completely
trust what He said. I wish I could go on
and on with some of the amazing things Jesus said. But look at these words He said in Luke 18:
“All things that are written by the prophets concerning the
Son of Man [speaking of Himself] will be accomplished. For He will be betrayed to the Gentiles and
will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
They will scourge and kill Him.
And the third day He will rise again” (verses 31-33). And it all happened exactly how it said it
would.
To know that Jesus is truth incarnate fills me with hope
and confidence. I know with certainty
that when Jesus makes a prediction, it will happen. For instance, on more than one occasion, Jesus
stated that He would come back again (see Luke 18:8, Luke 12:40, and John 14:3
for a few examples), and even though there are those who laugh at this idea, I
would give my life for this truth. Jesus
is coming back again.
2 Peter 3 speaks of how there will be mockers in the last
days; they will say, (my paraphrase) ‘Yeah, sure, Jesus is coming back. We’ve heard that before. It’s been centuries, and people just live and
die, and He hasn’t returned.’ This is
the context of a well-known verse; 2 Peter 3:8:
“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the
Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [Verse 9] The Lord is not slow in keeping His
promise, as some understand slowness, instead He is patient with you, not
wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The Lord is tarrying because He is graciously
waiting for men and women to see their need of Him. But make no mistake: Jesus is coming back
again. And it will happen when we least
expect it; check out verse 10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night.”
Kevin
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