"I am the truth," Jesus said and that means the gospel truth is not contained in a book, a creed or a law but in the living reality of the resurrected one. To see the gospel truth we must see Jesus. See him as he reaches out to those standing on the periphery. See him as his words of comfort, his actions of love bring healing and hope to the sick and impoverished. See him as he points a finger at hypocrisy and condemns injustice. This is the gospel truth. See also that such a truth is terribly threatening to all of us. See how we would rather destroy this truth and live with lies. The gospel truth was hung out to dry on a cross and we continue that infamous tradition right down to today. Every time we seek to diminish and pervert the truth revealed by Jesus, we hammer the nails into his flesh. Every time we choose convenience over conviction, we put truth back on the cross. Every time we create an image of Christianity not in keeping with the life of Jesus, we shout with the crowd to give us Barabbas instead. The gospel truth is Christianity's to not only guard, protect and proclaim but to live out as well. In so doing, we continue to define it for the world.

One of the most powerful scenes in all of scripture for me comes when Pilate faces Jesus in the praetorium. As evil a man as Pilate has been portrayed as, I have always felt a certain sympathy with this beleaguered leader. Staring at the very face of love, struggling to do what is right rather than what is politically correct, he muses aloud, "What is truth?" And it is only inches away from his nose. I've found myself as close as well and just like Pilate, I've failed to recognize it...or maybe even worse, I've failed to acknowledge what I know is right there. Each time we choose expedience over compassion, revenge over reconciliation, hatred over forgiveness, we stand with Pontius Pilate and condemn the gospel truth to death.

Thank God then for the gift of the resurrection, for the gospel truth that keeps returning. Even though we may do everything in our power to destroy it, it keeps coming back, often in new forms and new ways to work its liberating wonder. When I hear of congregations so enmeshed in dissension and bickering that their demise is imminent, I don't grieve for the gospel. I know that it will emerge in a new way, a new form. Were all churches to close tomorrow and Christianity completely cease to be, I know that the gospel truth would reappear. In every act of love and gesture of grace, everywhere people live the gospel truth that Jesus lived, it would be resurrected.

Aristotle said that it was in the nature of humanity to want to know the truth. I couldn't agree more. It is just that once we discover the gospel truth, we're not so sure it was such a good idea to go looking for it. The gospel truth calls us to a whole new way of living. The gospel truth claims us and never lets us go. Oh, we can pretend that it doesn't. We can act as if it never existed and Jesus was nothing more than a pleasant country parson intent on pleasing not just his own congregation but the entire world. We can develop empty rituals and pious sayings, write enormous theological tomes and build equally huge churches. We can produce television programs that promise riches and wealth, power and fame all in the name of Christ. We can do all that in an attempt to hide from the gospel truth but it will be to no avail. It will always be futile. Because ultimately, God will win. Ultimately, the gospel truth will be told. Ultimately, the resurrection comes. It may take three days or three millennia but come it will and with it will come good news to the poor, liberation for the oppressed, freedom for the imprisoned. With it will come an end to one way of life and a beginning to another. With it will come a whole new way of seeing reality. That is the gospel truth.