What Is Truth? Discerning the Times in a "My Truth" World

Sometimes the best conversations happen when our plans get interrupted.

Today is one of those days. The weather kept us from gathering in our building this morning, so I’m sharing this message now from right where we are: scattered across kitchen tables, living rooms, and yes—probably a few of us still in pajamas. But here’s the thing: we’re still gathered as the Church. And in this cozy, unscripted moment, we can still lean into one of the most important questions of our generation.

What is truth?

It's a question that echoes through coffee shops, classrooms, social media feeds, and family dinner tables. And for a church named Issachar, it's a question we're called to wrestle with: not to win arguments, but to live faithfully.

Why Issachar?

If you've ever wondered about our church name, here's the backstory. In 1 Chronicles 12:32, there's a brief but powerful description of a group within Israel:

"The sons of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do."

That's it. Just one verse. But it captures something we desperately need today.

Issachar wasn't known for being the loudest tribe or the most powerful. They were known for discernment: for reading the moment and responding with wisdom. They didn't just have opinions. They understood what was happening and knew how to act.

That's our calling too. Not to react out of fear or frustration. Not to drift with whatever cultural current is strongest. But to discern the times and know what must be done.

And that starts with getting clear on truth.

Truth Has a Side

In John 18, Jesus stands before Pilate. It's a tense moment: the Roman governor face-to-face with the King of Kings. And Jesus says something that should stop us in our tracks:

"Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice."

Notice what Jesus is saying. Truth isn't just an abstract concept floating out there somewhere. Truth has a direction. Truth has a side. And the dividing line isn't intelligence, education, or personality.

The dividing line is this: Do you listen to Jesus?

Pilate's response is famous: "What is truth?" And then he walks away. The question hangs in the air, unanswered in that moment.

But the rest of Scripture answers it clearly:

• Truth is not something we invent.
• Truth is not something we vote on.
• Truth is not something we "feel into existence."

Philosophers call this the correspondence theory of truth: the idea that truth is what actually matches reality. But for those of us who follow Jesus, we go even deeper. Truth is anchored in the voice of Jesus and carried into our lives by the Spirit of God.

If we don't settle that foundation, we'll be confused by every other issue we face.

The Danger of "My Truth"

Here's where things get uncomfortable.

We live in a world that loves the phrase "my truth." It sounds humble, even gracious. You have your truth, I have mine. But there's an ancient pattern hiding underneath that modern phrase.

At the end of the book of Judges, the Bible describes a society in collapse with one devastating line:

"In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."

That's not a political statement. It's a spiritual diagnosis.

When "truth" becomes personal preference, a few things start to happen:

Agreement dies. Everyone becomes their own authority, and there's no shared foundation to stand on.

Discernment fades. People can no longer tell the difference between what's true and what's simply convenient.

Restraint breaks. The ability to resist evil and stand for what's right slowly erodes.

Judges shows us that when truth is privatized, the result isn't freedom. It's fragmentation, vulnerability, and defeat.

And if we're honest, this is where much of modern life is headed. "My truth." "Your truth." "Whatever feels right." The Bible has a name for that. It's called everyone doing what's right in their own eyes.

Issachar doesn't live that way.

The Crisis of Preference in the Church

Now, I want to say this carefully because I love the Church and I'm part of the Church.

But one of the greatest weaknesses in modern Christianity is that we often can't agree on much beyond a few basics. We've got churches on every corner, splits, divisions, camps, and tribes. And many times the disagreements aren't even about the core of the gospel: they're about preferences, traditions, or secondary issues.

The deeper problem underneath all of that is this: when Jesus is not the unquestioned center, people start building their identity around "their" version of truth.

Here's the pattern that shows up again and again:

People get an idea first. Then they search the Bible to support the idea.

Instead of coming to Scripture to be corrected, formed, and aligned, they come to Scripture to be validated.

But biblical truth isn't found by grabbing random verses out of context. It's found in the whole counsel of God: with history, with context, and with humility.

And most importantly, biblical truth is personal because Jesus is personal. He said, "My sheep know My voice."

Truth isn't just information. Truth is revelation plus obedience.

Revival Brings Us Back to Center

Here's the hopeful part.

When revival comes: when the presence of God becomes real and central: something beautiful happens. The smaller arguments lose their power. The "my camp versus your camp" mentality gets melted down.

People come from different backgrounds, different traditions, different styles: and they agree on one thing: God is here. We need Him. Jesus is the center.

Revival doesn't erase doctrine. But revival reorders priorities.

In revival, the question becomes less about "Are you like me?" and more about "Is Jesus being honored? Is the Spirit leading? Is truth being embraced?"

Issachar people don't chase novelty. They chase the presence of God and the clarity that comes from it.

Three Issachar Commitments

So what do we do with all of this? Let me leave you with three simple commitments: things we can hold onto as we navigate these confusing times together.

1. We will listen to Jesus above every other voice.

Not the loudest voice. Not the trending voice. Not the most emotional voice. Jesus. His words in Scripture, illuminated by His Spirit, leading us into all truth.

2. We will live by Scripture in context, not preference in disguise.

We don't shape truth to fit us. Truth shapes us to fit Christ. That means reading the Bible humbly, in context, and with a willingness to be changed by what we find.

3. We will pursue unity around the center: not uniformity around opinions.

Unity isn't everyone thinking the same thing on every secondary issue. Unity is everyone bowing to the same King. We can hold our convictions and still walk together when Jesus is at the center.

A Gentle Invitation

Wherever you're reading this: maybe at your kitchen table, on your phone during a lunch break, or curled up on the couch: I want to invite you into something.

Let's be people who understand the times and know what must be done.

Not with panic. Not with rage. Not with drift.

But with discernment, with love, and with a deep commitment to the One who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Lord Jesus, You are the Truth. Forgive us for treating truth like an accessory instead of a foundation. Lead us by Your Spirit. Make us a community that knows the times and knows what must be done: with humility, with courage, and with unity. Amen.

#Jesus_NtheKnow