TEXT: Exodus 20:16

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. This ninth commandment is technically about giving testimony in court. As we certainly know in this age of the lawsuit, there is often much to be gained by a false testimony. It might be money; it might be reputation; it might be revenge of one sort or another.

This commandment was broken at the trial of Jesus so that there would be a way of putting Jesus to death. The Gospel of Matthew reports that many false witnesses came forward to testify against Jesus and that there was a specific search for false evidence. And before all the false witnesses stood one who had said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." In John's account of the trial, Jesus focuses on truth, telling Pilate in the passage that I read that Jesus' purpose in coming into the world was to testify to the truth. Pilate then asks the searing question, "What is truth?" How ironic that Pilate should ask such a question when the answer was standing before him. Some say Jesus didn't answer. I say Jesus was the answer. Truth is not a "what" but a "who."

The broad base of this commandment is the injunction to tell the truth about others. On the surface this means to watch out for rumors, gossip, and speaking before we are sure of the facts. A little deeper than that it means to see the difference between truth and fact when we speak about others. It may be factually true that a person stole something. It may or may not be true that the person is at heart a theif. The truth about a person is to be found in the heart, and the depths of the human heart are known only to its Creator.

I believe that the only truth about another person that we can know for sure is that the person is made in the image of God and is a person for whom Christ died. The truth we know about others is the truth summed up in their baptism. When a person is brought for baptism, whether as an infant, youth, or adult, it is a moment of truth-telling. And the truth that we tell is the truth of the human condition. We are created good...made in the image of God...sought after and loved by a God who wants to be in relationship with us from the moment we are born.

It also says that we are not perfect. We disappoint God on a fairly constant basis and need the help of those who raise us and the entire church to stay on the road that leads to God. But our baptism proclaims first and foremost that God is there...from the moment of our birth...to be our primary help. God does not leave us to our own devices. God does not cast us out until we can figure out what faith is for ourselves. Our help from God is not dependent on our ability to make a faith statement or even our ability to walk down the aisle on our own. Before we can even understand or articulate our own name, God gives us his own name and claims us as his child.

This is the only truth we really know to speak of one another or of ourselves. We are sinners, but we are precious. We wander off the road, but we are sought out and welcomed back. We are stamped with the image of God and loved more than earth's concept of love can comprehend. This is why we baptize infants...because it recognizes the truth about them created from the foundation of the world. It tells the truth about them and about the God who loves them, regardless of whether that love is ever returned. Baptism is about God's work and God's love and our sincere intention both as parents and as the church to help every single child figure out that truth.

I could speak for a long time about the nature of truth. For those who enjoy deep thought, think on Jesus who is the truth and Satan who is called the father of lies. Think of a lie being the absence of truth and realize that something can be factual and still not be the truth.

But I want to do something different this morning. This is consecration Sunday, the Sunday when we bring in our financial pledges for the coming year. Our stewardship tells the truth about the nature of the world. Our giving of money, time, talent and other resources proclaims the truth that we are not owners but stewards of all that there is. We talked about that last week. Our giving is truth-telling...God is creator and we hold it all in trust...giving back what is God's for the work of God's kingdom as God requires it.

Our baptism tells the truth about ourselves and about others. We are made in the image of God. We are loved by God and sought out by God before we can even speak God's name.

We are going to have an extended meditation time this morning. Here at the front are two reminders of truth-telling. There is the baptismal font filled with water and a basket for your pledges. I invite you to come and in your hearts, tell the truth. Touch the water and remember the truth about yourself and others. Kneel at the rail and tell God whatever truth needs to be told. Put your pledge in the basket, telling the truth about who really owns the resources placed in your care. If you are unable to come to the front but would like to participate, you may slip up your hand at any time and the ushers will come by with a bowl of water and a basket for you to participate from your seat.

We have blue sheets here to represent the water. Get up and look to Jesus...step out and look to Jesus...leave that boat behind and walk upon the water.

Amen.

(c) 1999, Anne Robertson