Questions Matter (Questions)

Okay.

It's oldest. You noticed it's sunny outside for a moment and then you blink and then you miss it.

But it's all good. So that means we step into a new same last month. We were looking at church this month, we looking at questions. Some of, you know, I bring the primary school, teacher school teacher. Remember I was up. So I was a young man, 20, something and I was teaching the reception class. I'm not the first thing I want to say to anybody who ever thinks I wanted to be a primary school teacher, make sure your knees work. Well, this is what it is. You imagine six foot something and I'm trying to get down to that level. I spend a lot of time crouching and I realized that wasn't a good thing. So I ended up spending a lot of time needing which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But one of the things that I remember about all the children, I told him from school was, I always asked questions. Let me give you an example of a question that I was reminded about fetty recently had a friend of ours, who we know never many years or so she called a good few years.

She had a son, who likes color. I didn't decided he wanted a bedroom painted. And so, his mom said to him, what color would you like?

You know, the kind of color, you think your mom will do that. And I helped through b a painting and then you weigh the room was painted. and then he was presented with the room, when you walked into the room and Mom said, what's the matter he said where the Pips Because he decided to show you these pics cuz I wasn't expecting tomorrow, right? He's expecting Pips on the world as well. I'm the one of the things I love about little children is that they ask questions math questions. Give us an indication that someone's interested.

I miss you, too. About all fights as well. If you're trying to sell your face with a colleague at work, with a family member, if someone else you a question, go with the question cuz that's where their attention is right now.

The other thing is that I see we live in a strange world, where preaching the gospel in some countries is illegal but it's not illegal to answer a question. So you could stand on the corner in certain countries and preach the gospel and you might end up in prison. What if somebody comes up to you and I'll see you a question and you just honestly answer the question. It's unlikely that you got cuz you all defense will be. I was just us asking the question they asked me. So I believe questions, massive and it was a relief to learn more Have you ever read something? And thought, maybe you're reading a book and then using it doesn't describe in the book what, what disease does wise or whether it's windy. Just you at the seaside mediately, your imagination is running and you're trying to picture

I'm we got questions because we get in trade, when we get intrigued because actually all reminded license are running away in exploring things. Jesus was good with questions. He was good with questions or List us take an example of how Jesus responded to a question in. Luke chapter 10,

I'm sorry. Original some, someone said to Jesus. Wanting to justify himself. He said, who is my neighbor?

Okay, if you think about it for yourself, or you going to ask this question, who is my neighbor has lots of different ways? You can answer this question from the perspective of the house that you? So they could be the possible that the person on the right or family on the left, the family and maybe the family Deluxe actually wears a house, have seven labors Cuz you got a garden with lots of gums, if I come through, it's okay, then what you might call the neighbors, we have some land to connect with them. It might be my neighbor at work and then think about the desk used to tell the person who sits on your left hand on your right. It might be the people who travel with regulate, you sit in the car with them, that you'll neighbors for that Journey time. Anyway, he wants you to justify himself, so he said, who is my night? But you know what? Jesus responsible before you bring it up. Do you know what Jesus's response was?

His response was not announcer. His response was a question. in Luke chapter 10 verse 36, he says this,

So, which of these three are we talkin about here? Is the Good Samaritan story.

And so Jesus comes back with a question, so which of the three do you think was the neighbor of him? Who fell among Thieves?

Can anybody remember the characters in The Good Samaritan is obviously the Samaritan? What about the other to the leave? The leave, the leave at 9 and the possible. Absolutely three different in proximity but only one

What I want you to know since he is not so much, the story is what Jesus did. Jesus ask the question and he came back with a question cuz you know, it's very easy to put yourself in a box in answering your question. If I said to you like like a number of these are you were follower of Jesus. Your first thought in your head might be why you asking me. I might be off of school. Cuz in some countries if we all did that question, we might end up in prison 2.

But actually a good response would be. What is a Christian to you? What do you mean by a Christian? Do you mean somebody goes to church? You mean someone who's being baptized? Do you mean someone who follows the teachings of Jesus? What do you mean by Christian? You should know. That's a pretty interesting question to go back to. What do you mean? Please tell me before I am happy to answer your question but before I do just tell me what's your understanding of being a Christian. Until I want to explore some of the examples that Jesus took his, unless that's like a different example. In the Gospel of John, Gospel of John chapter 10 verse 13, through, 18 verses 33, and 34. Macy's where Jesus has been accused before Pilate and then entered the praetorian. Again, I know that's a closed question. The only logical answer to this is yes or no? Possibly maybe. But it's not what we call an open question. Does anybody know how Jesus? He answered with a question we read on in 31st 34. Jesus answered him saying all you speaking about yourself about this or are you telling others that this is concerning? It's a question.

So this isn't home. So the question is are you responding to partner up with children have nieces and nephews or grandchildren for those who the listing online. Children or maybe even children, who are listening? Keep on asking questions, or answering questions, but don't just jump straight into the Pet Supply clotting why they're asking.

Somebody might ask you is the oven on. Play. Not if you should have put the oven on earlier because somebody wanted to put something in the oven and you forgotten, you might want to go. No. On the other hand, if it's about safety of children because you were asking me all the children around, do we need to pay attention? Why is the oven on?

Questions are great because they show the people searching for answers.

I I've looked at all right through from four year olds to post graduate Master students so in terms of formal picture. But you know, the thing I told primary as one of the things I know I don't like teaching for me. Personally, I'm just fine. The often you'll have children in the class who don't want to learn. I just died because they have to be that and those are the kind of people. I really struggle to teach someone to have to cuz that's where they're all the help. You can have fun on the journey. Hopefully, we have fun at church as well. But the thing that captivates me is, people who Wass Cuevas questions. I'll give you a specific example which had the opportunity to teach on the people who I'm one of my fellow academics set to me.

I told him he was just comfortable to stand at the front. Teach this theory. He was good at said he's much better than I was this a question. That's all I love questions. And I actually believe if we go back into the new Tesla, if we go back into the early church, you'll find that the sun was not somebody talkin from the front and everybody just sitting listing people would excuse me, pizza. I don't agree with you on that and that would be a bit of it. I love it. When song, I remember, when we were meeting at the church in medical school many many, many years ago, and I was speaking and one of the members of the congregation husband of one of the ladies in the church, he had a question. What makes you say that? And it was just so culturally different, it was refreshing. It was interesting, but Ashton's matter. I want to encourage us because I also want to encourage you to be ready to answer questions. Because if you, if you can treat someone enough, I've asked you a question. It's a bit like fishing. You got fish nibbling on the hook. Now you can, you can wipe them and you can persuade them. Questions are a great thing to respond to now. Why are we afraid questions? I think we're afraid of questions because we think we might not know the answer. I might not be able to answer a question. I want to say applies to me to be put me on a pedestal. That's a really interesting question. I've never thought about that before. I'm going to go away, I need to do some research and I might be to ask somebody else. You might need to read a book, it might be to pry.

But I believe questions are good. So let's look at an example of a context. Two questions. In Luke chapter 10. This is a story that we very familiar to us and Luke chapter 10. And behold a certain lawyer stood up and texted him saying teacher. What should I do to inherit eternal life now before we go on

I just want you to think about, if you off that question, is me, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

I'm interested in why you asking you asking for yourself, are you asking for a loved one? You asking just an academic question because, you know what, if someone finds you I'm just been given a diagnosis of a terminal illness and I want to know where I'm going. That's a very different. I would have made it acceptable. Okay, I believe in a God who heals. So before I answer your question, but if we miss the opportunity, I'm so what, what did he say? He said to him what is written in the law Okay. And what is your understanding that what is your reading about? I know there are many times when I've had people Muslim, friends, and colleagues. It's like you're a Christian who is Jesus. What time does respond by the authority of Jesus, to who is Jesus to you?

An often, I'll get a wide range of Oz from. I've had people to tell me Jesus's fictitious. All the papers said. He's a good teacher other people who said he was a prophet.

It's true. He's a prophet but he's also the Son of God. He's outside. And I want to hear what it is.

What the score to the RoomPlace Johnson?

I'm talking sorry he responded and what is written in the law? What is your reading of? It's important to understand where people are coming from.

It's not look at the gospel of Mark as he entered and again, he entered into capernium after sometimes and it was her that he was in the house. That room is going around. That Jesus is around immediately many Gathers. So that they would no longer be. There was no longer room to receive them not even near the door, he preach the word to them. Now, I want you to imagine a room full of people, so full of people that people can't even get through the door, this is a story that I love is one of my favorite stores in scripture and then they came to him bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come to him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. So they had broken through and they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. I want you to imagine you sitting in a crowded Roots waiting for Jesus to speak. Now, this is fantastic, teacher and stop playing the whole in the roof. Repairing, when Jesus saw that fight, he said to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven to you,

Then it goes on the side and some of the Scribe sitting there and reasoning in the hearts. I said, why does this man speak blasphemy like this who can forgive sins, but God Alone So that's the question. Who does he think he is saying things that is but immediately when Jesus deceived any spirit that they were reasoning. He said to them. Why do you reason about these things in your thoughts, which is easier to say? The power to the power that your sins are forgiven you or to say arise, take off your bed and woke. You didn't respond by trying to explain it. Is it that you're healed or your sins are forgiven?

That's why I love question cuz those questions will take us to a place where we can get we can get into the stuff of conversation.

Austin a very challenging part of life is that. I've had the privilege of taking too many funerals. We've all probably had the privilege of going to many funerals.

I'm one of the most common scriptures read at a funeral is John 14:1, 26? Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God believe. Also in me now, I want you to think about someone who's lost a dear friend, a lot one, that the reason they're at the funeral. Some of them will be sitting there thinking, why, what are then why now and why my brother my sister, my friend, there's a lot of questions running in people's heads and one of the Privileges I think of getting engaged to anybody who is journeying through bereavement through grief is the journey with them. It's very easy when people are broken. When things are lost, when things are a mess. So,

But why my son, why is my son being taken from me? Many times the honest answer is I don't know, but I still know God, love you. So But I still know, God loves us.

and one of the things that he's so powerful around these kind of thing, Isn't the enemy loves to isolate people because they feel no one loves them. I remember it is. Is this changed me completely? When my dad died, I went up to be with my mom and my sister videos. Just have a chat and we tighten came in and he wasn't trying to create conversation, that was a minute of Silence on that was okay, we do not have to fill out world with noise. We did not have to talk all the time. I think we live in a noisy world and sometimes silence is a powerful thing, but I was sitting there talking and then somebody said, something was my sister said something. And then my stepmom went Yeah, Tony would have done this time. He was my dad tonight, he would have done this and we all bust out laughing. And then it was like, oh oh wait we shouldn't be laughing. Then we looked at one another and smiled broken and I'm not sweaty. It was perfectly normal. Yeah, there is laughter in the midst of sadness that are teasing moments of joy.

But the thing that I learned from him was robbed of an stay away to come and get you guys come and join the conversation come and join some of the things online. In John 14, it says let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God believe. Also in me what in my father's house are many mansions? If it were not. So I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you. I don't know whether you realize, what question is, is passages leading to you, but let me build it.

And where are you go? Where I go, you know, I'm the place. So, you don't think I'm too quick and I will go and prepare a place for you. And come again and receive you to myself and where I am, that you may be also

and where I go, you know, and the way you know, so I don't know where you're going and how can we know the way? She's such a great indicator. Okay. Thomas is confused. Where are you? What? Jesus response was. Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father, except through me.

If you had known me, you would have known my father and from now on, you will know him and have seen him.

But it said to him, Lord, show us the father. And it is sufficient for us. People want a glimpse of God, they want to know.

Are you like you have probably had we've all had people to see how can you? How can you believe in a God and they'll come up with a list of reasons? Why I don't believe that's really interesting cuz then you can pick them up and you can you can see how can you believe this so much mess in the world. Why is why is this sickness?

But like, I always want to make it personal. If somebody says, why is this

So, there is sickness, but the results of healing. How can you believe that?

I was very sick with malaria. I was in the hospital with malaria and like I treat them right medicine and I went home and but I didn't give me enough medicine for those people who lived in malarial areas. You know that if you don't kill the parasites, they come back again and then gets worse, it was supposed to go through the cycle. And I remember to least I got into the Christian union and Johnny, who was the leader of the Christian union? A shed we believe God is going to heal some people today and I thought I'd never remember having received personal heating, till this particular point in my life and then we came to the end of the service, Johnny came out and said they would you like

Yeah, I kind of went well, maybe but I was there and she said yes. I'm like pride and miraculously healed me and malaria.

So I don't just want to tell stories. I want to tell stories that create questions, he's great to be an enigma. One of my favorite pieces, of music is a piece of music called the Enigma Variations. This is it is an intriguing piece of music that drill stuff out. It's great to be an enigma cuz I ask you a question.

So if people ask me a closed question, I want to turn it into an open question cuz then I'll get their opinion. Do you believe what do you not believe? Okay. How would I on? How would, how could I am? So, I could go yes or no, but that's the end of the conversation. Potentially I might say, okay, what you mean by believe? Believe in what?

Because immediately and I might go, I want some evidence, show me some evidence you can like you kind of what he's done in my life and so I want to answer questions until I. I kind of want to unpack this and go a long way feather. So what do I get sick?

So let me guess about 12 most assuredly, I say to you. He who believes in me. The works that I do. He will do also and Greater Works than these. He will do because I go to the father And whatever you ask in my name, that I might do. That, the father may be glorified in his son. If you ask anything in my name, he will, I will do it. Well, I want to make those kind of Skype because I want to give an opportunity for prayer. I want to give an opportunity to go to engage in the conversation.

And I want to make this a month of questions. I want to prepare Asuna Christmas is a church for answering questions if you want to send me a question that you don't know the answer to you. I'm not promising to answer it. I might come back with a question. That's just what I've been teaching this money but If you got a question, send it to me on Whatsapp, they'll be some questions that will be things about why we going. Is it twice? If you are asking it, probably we can put some, we can also, so we can also some of those questions on the website. Some of the questions. I might have nothing else to do and so I can anybody else help me? We can study together. We can journey together.

Some questions. Nobody might know the answer. You might have to say about that.

and if you want to be anonymous for the question, in the offering Bowl, Already, I just wanted. I think it's, I think it's a good healthy sign of something. When children are asking questions, when family are asking, questions is not a sign of a healthy family, healthy food healthy. So let me give you a question this morning. I might expect you to answer it right now but he is my question for you today. Who do you say Jesus is? How do you describing now? There's no right or wrong on so they might be back to Oz. You might describe him as your friends, that might be your genuine experience out of the disciples described him as a teacher near the lens, we look out through Jesus will. It will describe how we see him will describe the characteristics characters. Some people would say God if all picture of father, who do you think that is? Some people's picture of God will be a stuntman sitting at a desk, a bit. Like I had monster saying yes, no. And I'm punishing us from time to time.

Loaded up the word father. When we talked about father goes some people have the lens of that father and so when they hear the word father that's the only way they can see God. Some of us had good thoughts from a distant that someone said that it was never there at all. Some of us had that's who was so engaged to still engage with our lives that interested in what we doing. I'm back for us, that's a wide range of experience, but if that's the way we seek out, then we only see a tiny bit of going to, maybe we even got a wrong image of God. So who do you say? But Jesus is so I need price. I'm going to pry a very different privates morning.

I'm going to try to go upstairs up questions in the church.

I think I think that's going to stir up in a nurse some questions that we use for evangelism, some questions that we might we might just build up a little bit of a strategy. Why we we just stopped to ask some questions about this.

A simple question. As long as we got our eyes closed, I just want to mention this, the answer to this question. When was the last time you saw. And work? A sunglass. I might be go down swing. A Pride Go-Go doing a miracle. For some if we all stand they might say. I've never seen go time, too. But how would I not? But that's a great ass. A great conversation to jump into

I thought our fathers as we gather together on your word today, Lord, I sent him my spirit. I believe the whole set of ideas into our minds and hearts, It's good to ask questions is good to seek more. Father, I pray that we start with your word. The last we read your word instead of looking at through a lens and getting a complete picture. Lord, you lead us to places where we ask for more questions. We learn more of you, we love you, we unpack more of who you are, and I pray that you would would come alive to us again.

Loading personal study time in Bible study time in church Lord. When we read, they might be visions of what you're doing and what you're going to do. And father, I pray that when we come as then fees week on Anza weed I just hide it in a box and ignore it. To pray about how you God would do something different and how Jesus your son. Maybe would answer a question with a question.

So probably give us inquiring minds. Give us hops. That is seeking and father give us Minds. That would look to you to provide those onzas. I'm a particular you want to play this morning?

for those who, falsely lifetime questions questions, that have been in our minds and our hearts, with that kites,

Something that maybe happened in our past. Maybe even our families post. And father, I pray that Lord you give us a fresh perspective. I'm totally perspective on the history on all Legacy on my weeping and you at work. All the, let your light shine in to talk places in our hearts, in our homes, in our communities. And in the world, let your light shine. Cuz I know when light shines questions arise.

Who's this? What's happened here? Father God, I pray that we would not be fearful of questions, but we be spiteful in our ability and your ability to answer questions that draw people closer to you.

so father I pray that Lord as we gather around communion this morning Noble and something, more of you give us a fresh perspective. On the gift of your son and what he did for us, in Jesus name.