In the gospels Jesus is asked 187 questions. That's a lot!
And Jesus never rebukes the inquirer for asking their question.*
I grew up in the Mormon Church and difficult questions about theology, interpretation of scripture and of church history were frowned upon. Questions were often labeled as doubts and doubt was seen as the opposite of the sort of faith we were supposed to have. We were taught that doubts came from the Devil who was trying to cause us to fall away or unconfessed sin in our lives. Essentially pushing the question/problem back on the asker as their issue to go away and deal with!
While it is true that questions and doubts may arise with mixed motives, Jesus never shuts down the question and those asking it when they come to him in the gospels. He always engages and often with questions of his own that get to the heart of the issue at hand.
Some of us don't have many questions, some of us have a lot of them! All of us have a God and saviour that welcomes our questions and seeks to answer them in a way that draws people to himself. Over the next four weeks during our sermons on Sunday we're embracing four big questions that people have about God and we're going to seek our answers in God's word.
These four Sundays present two great opportunities - first, they are a chance to invite friends and family along who don't yet know Jesus. They will be able to hear the Bible's answer to these questions and be prompted to consider Christ for themselves. Second, this series is a chance for us all to grow in our knowledge of God, his word and ability to answer the questions of others as they come to us.
So who can you be bringing along over the next four weeks? Can you be praying that those who join us might come to a saving faith in Jesus, the one who welcomes us all and our questions.
Grace & peace,
Andrew
* The closest we get to Jesus shutting down a question is his response the request from to have places of honour in Jesus' kingdom. Even then it is less an issue with asking a question and more an issue of them having no idea what they're asking for! Jesus' inaugurates his kingdom through suffering rather than glory!
eNews - 5th April 2024