A Seeker of Truth

Acts 9:10-19

Are you a seeker of truth?  Has anyone ask that of you?  I must confess that I’ve asked that of myself often, and the answer is yes, I am a seeker of truth; then what actions or changes have taken place when confronted by truth?  May I tell you at the end of this paper?  Jesus told you and me the following: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)  Could it be you are more like this group that Jesus was addressing than you believe, in that they were very offended by such sayings of Jesus.  This was their reply; “They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”  (John 8:33-34 ESV)

Can I as a person born in freedom in the USA, say as my Jewish friends, I’ve never been enslaved to anyone, but that is not true, I like you have been enslaved to self, and self loves freedom from all authority.  Self likes to be seen as acceptable, as good, as a person of some honor, by all who are looking with human eyes.  But when self is examined by abiding in the word of God, it falls short, because that mirror to the soul exposes man to a pure and holy God, and to our Lord Jesus Christ.  Such was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias!  He had sought the truth, and found that truth is found in the author of Truth, Jesus Christ.  If you are religious, but your religion is not satisfying, look and learn from Ananias, the following is a very short account of a man who left self to follow Jesus.

“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”  (Acts 9:10-15 ESV)

A person who is not a seeker of truth would never have responded in this way, and we could go on to state that they would not have even heard, nor would the Lord have called on them to do so.  A truth seeker has set aside self and the control of pride, and pride is always so full of self that it is only looking down on others and things, that it cannot look up and see God.  Look at the reply of Ananias, “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.  For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.” (Acts 9:17-19)

A truth seeker will not be content with what others have said, but will search for Truth, and in doing so they will find the author of Truth, this is what that author said about Himself: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6 ESV)  Now, those are not my words, those are the words of Jesus, and you must make a choice, lunatic or God, for me Jesus is the way the truth and the life, my truth, my life with the Father.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice