The Cross of Christਨਮੂਨਾ

Passion Tuesday: Rooted in Truth

On Passion Tuesday, a great and unlikely question emerges from a religious leader who stepped out of the debates and arguments about Jesus and engaged directly with Jesus.

His sincere search for truth was significant to Jesus: “Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, ‘You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34).

This man was moving from knowledge about the truth to an encounter with the One who was the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Even with the clock ticking on His final week, Jesus stopped to affirm genuine seeking and a desire for the truth.

Jesus prioritized imparting wisdom and truth to those around Him. In the surrounding verses, He addressed spiritual authority, evil religiosity, response to governing authorities, the image of God, resurrection, His Sonship, genuine generosity, the future, and, in today’s verses, the apex of all the commandments.

Since Jesus prioritized delivering truth to His followers, seekers and skeptics alike, it’s safe to assume that growing in truth and being equipped as disciples should also be our priority.

Our world can feel more uprooted and chaotic than ever and needs men who are rooted and grounded in Christ. In an age of misinformation, alternative voices, and “personal truths,” much of our discipleship comes through social media or our favorite news outlet more than the Word and sound teaching.

We need to be men wholly committed to God’s truth, knowing and living out the Great Commandment.

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were ground-breaking inventors who carried out the first powered, controlled flight on December 17, 1903. Their understanding of flight principles was crucial in changing the course of human history as they paved the way for modern aviation, transportation, and global connectivity.

When conventional wisdom said to build more powerful engines to accelerate aviation inventions, they wrote, “The best dividends on the labor invested have invariably come from seeking more knowledge rather than more power."[1] They believed that it was not power but increasing knowledge that would be essential for the future of air travel.

We can be tempted by the desire for more power and influence to change our world and accelerate the Gospel's expansion. Jesus’ way is to change us from the inside out by rooting us in truth and growing our knowledge of God through His Word.

A transformed world will only come through transformed disciples.

Prayer: Lord, help me to dwell in Your living, active, and transformative Word. Help me to live as Your disciple who loves God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and my neighbors as myself. Amen.

Reflection: How are you prioritizing learning and growing as a disciple? Where do you need the Lord to do His deepest work in you: your heart, soul, mind, strength, or love for others?

[1]David McCullough, The Wright Brothers, p. 125.