The Voice of Truth In A World of Misinformation

This is Christ the King Sermons. Christ the King Sermons is a ministry of Christ the King Presbyterian Church located in Raleigh, North Carolina. CTK is a community rooted in the depth of the gospel, refined by hard conversations, fueled by meaningful relationships, and committed to redemptive work in Raleigh.

Hey, y'all. For those who don't know me, my name is Danny Yancey and I am the worship director here at CTK. As always, it is an honor and a privilege when I get a chance to share in God's word with you.

I want to start today with a hard hitting question: In a world of misinformation, how do you discern the voice of truth? I'll ask again. In a world of misinformation, how do you discern the voice of truth?

For most of us, we tend to listen to and believe voices that fit our preconceived notions about how the world works, and we tend to be mistrustful of information that challenges those same notions. And if by chance we allow ourselves to change our minds, that information has to be 100% irrefutable and has got to come from a super trustworthy source. But even then, we're skeptical.

An example of this came from me when the musical Wicked came to theaters. I had read an online article that talked about how Cynthia Enrivo was paid significantly less than Ariana Grande for her role and I was furious. I absolutely refused to watch this movie in theaters because of this. So much so that even one day we came to our staff meetings and I was talking to James and I said, "James, can you believe this? She's getting paid less than Ariana Grande?" And as we were talking, in walks my favorite children's director and musical aficionado, Catherine Harrison, who hears our conversation and she's like, "Danny, you know that's not true, right?" And I was like, "Yuh-huh. I read it on the Internet." And she's like, "No, not true." And she pulls up this article or this video in which Cynthia Enrivo herself is talking about how both of them were paid equally and fairly.

You see, for me, because the information fit the way I believed the world to be, I didn't bother investigating further. I didn't check the source. I allowed myself to be deceived. And not only did I allow myself to be deceived, there I was in the beginning of this staff meeting sharing this misinformation with someone else.

And so again, to all of us today, I ask: In a world of misinformation, how do you discern the voice of truth?

Our preaching text today is John chapter 10 verses one through 21, which drops us in the middle of a conversation that began in chapter nine, in which Jesus heals a man born blind. Now, James wonderfully preached the sermon last week. So I encourage you for full context to go back and listen to last week's sermon. But here in chapter 10, Jesus gives us a master class on how to spot misinformation as it relates to spiritual authority and leadership.

And so together, let's read what Jesus says:

Truly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him. For they do not know the voice of strangers. — John 10:1-5

This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them:

Truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. As the father knows me and I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also. And they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason, the father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. This charge I have received from my father. — John 10:7-18

There was again division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, "He has a demon and he is mad. Why listen to him?" Others said, "These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Will you pray with me? Father, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight. Oh Lord, you are our rock, our redeemer, and our good shepherd. Amen.

I want to talk for just a few moments this morning from the title, "The Voice of Truth in a World of Misinformation." We're going to center around three points: Point one, what truth sounds like as we look at verses one through six. Point two, what truth looks like as we look at verses seven through ten. And finally, what truth does as we look at verses eleven through eighteen.

What Truth Sounds Like

Imagine walking into a crowded room—lots of noise going on, something like a restaurant or a basketball game or football game, an airport—and faintly amongst all the noise, you hear someone calling your name. But not just your name, your nickname, the name that only your family or really close friends call you. That sound cuts through everything.

An example of this for me happened way back in February 2003. I was giving my senior recital at North Carolina Central, Eagle Pride. For this recital, all of my family and all of my friends showed up, including a girl that I had just met a month prior by the name of Deidra.

Fast forwarding through it, the recital ends and I'm in the lobby in the post-recital reception, and all my family and friends are coming up to me saying, "Danny, you did such a good job. Danny, congratulations. You finished your senior recital." And then up walks Deidra who says, "I'm so proud of you, Dan." If you could have seen the way my mother's head whipped around to see who was this person calling me Dan, because Dan is my nickname that only my family of origin knows about. They only call me that. So just so you know, Danny is my actual government name. It's not Daniel. Danny is my name. But Dan is my nickname that my family of origin calls me.

So you can imagine for my mother in this crowded recital lobby, the sound of someone saying "I'm proud of you, Dan?" Questions had to be asked. My mother was like, "Dan, who's this?" And for those of you who are new or visiting, just so you know, Deidra is my wife. Four kids and twenty years in the future, we're still together. She's still calling me Dan. This intimacy, this closeness, that's the picture that Jesus is painting here at the beginning of chapter 10.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. — John 10:3

In the ancient world, shepherds would often name their sheep, not just things like "sheep number 24" or "sheep number three," but names based on their personality. There's Frisky, there's Stubborn, there's Sleepy. And the sheep would respond to the shepherd's unique voice—well, except for maybe Sleepy because he was asleep.

In the same way, CTK, Jesus, our shepherd, doesn't just speak generally. He calls you intimately, personally, by name. He knows your history. He knows your pain. He knows your wounds. He knows your gifts. He also knows your limitations and your failures, and still he calls.

He doesn't call because of what you have to offer and he doesn't call because he needs something from you. He calls because you are his, and he loves you, and he knows you deeply. What an amazing truth that the sovereign creator of the universe, the same God who knows what's on the other side of black holes, who knows the intricate details of the deepest ocean depths that we haven't even seen yet, that the same God knows Dan. And not just Danny, he knows Dan. And he knows you too, CTK, intimately and personally.

This intimacy, this deep knowledge of who you really are—this deep calling to deep—that is the voice of truth. Counterfeit voices and social media algorithms are designed to know your preferences. They're designed to know your shopping history, all for the purpose of wielding influence over you. But the voice of truth doesn't just influence, he transforms. He calls the dead to life. He gives sight to eyes that had never been opened before. In all of this, not for some photo op, not for a selfie, not for clicks and likes, but for the glory of God.

He doesn't just know things about you, CTK. He knows you deeply and personally. And because he knows us, he knows just how fickle the human heart can be. He knows that our feelings and our emotions can change like the wind.

He knows that feelings and emotions can't be trusted as our source of truth. And any voice that's in your life that's telling you to follow your heart and to base your life, to base your marriage, to base your parenting on feelings, that voice is feeding you misinformation because Jeremiah seventeen nine tells us that the heart is deceitful and desperately sick. The shepherd knows that our hearts are not to be followed. So he says, follow me.

You see, in the ancient Near East, shepherds didn't drive their sheep from behind. They walked in front and the sheep followed. Why did they follow? Because they trusted the shepherd's voice. His was the voice that had led them to green pastures and still waters. His was the voice that protected them from danger. His voice was their life. And this voice that knows them intimately, calls them by name, says, follow me. Not do better, not clean yourself up. He doesn't give them a push in the back or a kick in the behind and says, go. Our shepherd goes before us knowing our sinful hearts, and still he simply says, follow me.

Now that's a word for someone here today. You have been fed misinformation. You've been told that you can't call yourself a follower of Jesus because you haven't earned it. You haven't let go of enough baggage that you're too sinful to follow. And because of the grip of sin on your life, you have ignored the voice of the shepherd. But brothers and sisters, fellow sheep, hear this voice of truth this morning. Jesus says that the shepherd calls and the sheep follow not because they've earned it. Not because they've earned his calling, but simply because he loves his sheep, and the sheep know his voice.

So in a world of misinformation, how do you discern what truth sounds like? We discern the voice of truth by training our hearts to know the voice of the shepherd and by fleeing from all others. So when you wake in the morning, CTK, pick up your bible before you pick up your phone. Talk to God before you answer those work texts. Make communing with God your highest priority of the day. And as you go about your day, let your prayer constantly be, Lord, what are you asking of me in this moment? What are you asking of me? Where are you leading me in this situation, in this interaction with this person? And when he answers, not just in the big bold decisions of life, but even in the everyday mundane routines, make sure you follow where he's leading. Because he longs to shepherd us not just in the big moments, not just in the grand plan of salvation, but he wants to be your shepherd in every single aspect of your life. The question is, when you hear his voice, will you follow?

What Truth Looks Like

Which brings me to point number two, what truth looks like as we look at verses seven through ten. If you're on social media, maybe recently or a while ago, you might have seen a video of a baptism service at a church in Indiana. And at this service, the pastor is preparing to baptize this man. Now sources say that the pastor had already gone through the plan of salvation with him, had already walked through what it looks like to be a Christian and had confirmed that he was ready to be baptized. So there they were. Pool's ready. He's standing in the water about to be submerged, and the pastor asks him, have you placed your faith and your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior? He hands the man the microphone and the man says, I am Jesus Christ. I'm back, boys.

Ultimately and rightly, the pastor decides to stop the baptism, citing that the man had some theological things he needed to work through. Clearly, all of us here today, we are rightly skeptical of a man from Indiana claiming to be our lord and savior. But with this image in mind though, imagine for a second how Jesus' bold statements must have hit the ears of the Pharisees. You see, they had a picture of what truth looks like and where truth can come and from whom truth can come. You see, for them, they themselves, they were the arbiters of truth. The gatekeepers of the mysteries of God and of ultimate truth. And in their gatekeeping, they had just cast out a blind man whom they labeled as an unfit sinner. And in contrast, Jesus says that he is the door by which even a blind man and sinners, they don't get cast out. They can enter and are saved.

You see, shepherds in the Middle East, they would often lie across the opening of the sheepfold at night. They themselves were the door. No sheep could go out or come in to the sheepfold without crossing over the shepherd. But that also meant no wolf could enter without crossing him either. Think of like a firefighter who stays behind and stands behind the last door holding back flames, or think of a secret service agent that becomes a human shield. Jesus says, I stand between you and everything that wants to destroy you. That is this picture of the door of protection that Jesus offers to us. But even more than protection, Jesus offers life.

He says that I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. You see, his voice doesn't enslave, it liberates. It doesn't steal, it gives. And it gives freedom. It gives rest. The shepherd's voice gives security. This is the picture of the abundant life. And when you look at the track record of Jesus throughout his ministry, this is what he has consistently given to his people everywhere he went. Life abundantly is the fruit that he consistently bears.

And so when Jesus stands in the crowd and makes bold statements about who he is, true, the pharisees are right to be skeptical just as you and I are right to be skeptical about the man in Indiana, but here's where they missed the mark. Because of their arrogance, because of their confirmation bias, because of their allegiance to tradition over truth, they failed to acknowledge the irrefutable evidence, the fruit of the good shepherd, the trail of abundant life that Jesus leaves like bread crumbs everywhere he goes. And that proves that he is everything that he says he is.

You see, misinformation always avoids irrefutable truth or it uses extreme mental gymnastics and flat out lies to try and discredit irrefutable truth. But people of God, don't fall for misinformation's misdirection. Don't fall for the half truths and the whole lies. When presented with information, check the source and check the fruit of that source, especially as it relates to matters of the spirit. Remember that our ultimate source of truth isn't an influencer, a politician, or a celebrity pastor. Our way, our truth, and our life is Jesus Christ.

And perhaps, again, you are here today, and like the pharisees, you are listening to and reading these words of Jesus with skepticism. Your life experiences, your past hurts, and interactions with those who claimed to be Christians but actually turned out to be wolves in sheep's clothing have left you with a skewed view of the Christian faith. The scars from past church hurts plainly visible and very real. And because of them, we've built up these walls of unbelief and walls of mistrust surrounding the faith. And we allow voices that feed our confirmation bias against the faith to fill our news feed and our minds to the point that our hearts have grown cold and cynical. And over time, like calluses on overworked hands and fingers, our ability to feel the spirit at work dwindles. Like cataracts that develop on overstrained eyes, our ability to see the love of Jesus shining in our lives is impaired.

But here's the beautiful thing about our good shepherd. He sees our hurts and our scars. He knows all of our skepticism, all of our doubts, and he doesn't respond with rejection or anger, but with grace and compassion. He sees our skewed view and feels our calluses and he doesn't say fix them. He simply says follow. He knows every argument that you've built up against him. He knows every doubt, all of your unbelief, he knows all of your fear. Still, he stretches out his arms, shows his nail pierced hands, and speaks the words that we sung earlier in Isaiah 43.

He says, do not fear for I have redeemed you. Yes, even you. I have called you by name. You are mine. — Isaiah 43

What Truth Does

You see, in this text, when Jesus says, I'm the good shepherd. No doubt the original hearers would instantly recall the words of David in Psalm 23. We read those same words earlier in the service in our call to worship. And in that Psalm, did you hear all of the life that the shepherd supplies? Rest in green pastures, the restoration of our souls, leadership and guidance, protection and comfort in hard places, provision and sustenance even when enemies are all around. He supplies goodness and mercy and an eternal home in the house of the Lord.

But here in John chapter 10, Jesus takes the words of Psalm 23 a step further because what he's offering is more than just pastoral poetry. He's offering himself. Because you see, he's not just a shepherd. He's the shepherd. And here's why I can say that. Because in shepherding, there is a risk of physical harm, but shepherds don't intentionally die for their sheep. For the average shepherd, sheep are important, but they are not worth dying for. But Jesus does.

Why? Because he knows that's the only way to bring wandering rebellious sheep like you and like me. The only way to bring us home is for the shepherd to go out and to be torn apart in our place. The shepherd becomes the lamb. The lamb of God torn apart that we could be made whole, made to be all anguish that we might be all joy, cast off that we might be brought in, trodden down as an enemy that we might be welcomed as friends, stripped that we might be clothed, wounded that we might be healed, tormented that we might be comforted, and he died that we might have eternal life. And in this section of the text, Jesus lets us know that his death isn't some tragic accident.

It's not Jesus getting caught in the gears of empire. He says, no one takes my life from me. I lay it down of my own accord. He lays down his life for Dan and for you, CTK. He saw your sin and shame, knows your failures and limitations, aware of all of your skepticism and doubt. And what did he do about it? He laid down his life to redeem you. CTK, you were on his mind from the very beginning.

Do you see where in the text he makes mention of you specifically in the text? He says to the crowd:

I have other sheep that are not of this fold... I must bring them also and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. — John 10

That's us, CTK. That's us. This one shepherd, the good shepherd has claimed you as his own and brought you into his flock. One flock, one shepherd. And now that you are gathered in, he will never leave you. As he says in the text, he's not a hired hand who runs when life gets hard. He's not a self-proclaimed guru or an influencer who's only seeking clicks and likes and endorsements. Our savior is the good shepherd. The good shepherd who gave everything to make you his own, both now and forever and ever. Amen.

A World of Misinformation

In a world of misinformation, Jesus remains our source of truth. False voices seek to steal, kill, and destroy. Our savior gives abundant life. His voice is trustworthy, not just because of what he says, but because of what he's done.

False voices always seek to bring division. Even at the end of chapter 10, John tells us about how the people were divided about who Jesus was. Even after seeing firsthand all that Jesus had done, even after all of the miracles, signs, and wonders, some still dismiss Jesus as being a madman, demon possessed, as a raving lunatic who shouldn't be given the time of day. Others, however, looked at the fruit, the undeniable, irrefutable evidence, and they remained curious.

CTK, what about you? When you look at the evidence of who Christ is in your own life, what conclusions do you come to? Who is Jesus to you? Your eternity depends on how you answer that question.

And as you set out to find the truth of that answer for yourself, be aware of the voices that you allow to speak into your life on behalf of Jesus. There are so many voices today who claim to be the Christian voice, and they posture themselves as gatekeepers of the faith. So by way of application, as you listen to these voices, as you read their words, as you watch their videos, as you share their content with others, remember some practical things. Ask questions. Check your sources and check the fruit of those sources. And then finally, compare every voice that claims to be a shepherd of the faith with the heart of the good shepherd.

You see, the heart of the good shepherd goes before us and simply says, follow me. The heart of the good shepherd offers abundant life, not because we are good, but because he is good. And the heart of the good shepherd was willing to give up everything to redeem those who didn't deserve it. This is the heart of the Good Shepherd. And if there are voices in your life or in your newsfeed that speak a truth that runs counter to this heart, you might be listening to misinformation, and that's the truth.

In the name of the father, the son, and holy spirit. Amen.

Will you pray with me? Father, there's nothing like your word. Your word is truth. Your word is life. Father, anchor us in your truth. Anchor us in such a way, God, that when misdirection and misinformation would seek to enter, God, may you speak, no, that's not true. And may your Holy Spirit shout loudly within us that we would follow you, the good shepherd. And may we follow, father, because you know us. And not only do you know us, but you love us. And what a joy and an honor it is to be known and loved by you. May we forever celebrate that fact.

In the strong name of Jesus, our good shepherd, we pray. Amen. Let's stand and sing.