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Articles from April 2015

Questions: But, who do you say that I am?

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Whether talking with the disciples, speaking in a public forum, or defending Himself before His enemies, Jesus consistently asked questions.  In the four gospels, Jesus asked over 300 questions.

 

But, who do you say that I am?

 

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 

Matthew 16:13-17

thursday_11949107_SA few years ago at a son’s soccer game, a few parents began to talk about the new coach. As people began offering their candid opinions, it became clear that many parents were not happy with his coaching style. Parents were saying that even their kids thought he didn’t know what he was doing. One parent called him completely inept as a coach.

Even though I tried my best to stay focused on the game in front of me, because of where I was seated, the comments felt like they were flying across my lap and over my head. Hoping I could stay out of it all, I remained silent. But alas, one of the parents wanted to know what I thought. After all, my son was one of the older kids who had been coached under the old guard as well as the new.

Frustrated that I could no longer avoid the debate happening around me, I concocted the most noncommittal, sitting-on-the-fence responses that I could. Even though I actually had a very strong opinion about the coach, my great desire to stay out of the crossfire kept me from offering anything substantial.

Mix people with something controversial and a scene like this is inevitable. We often have just two options. We can say what we feel and do our best to defend our viewpoint.  Or, we can try to remain a passive observer by listening without participating. Sometimes our unwillingness to say anything indicates that we really don’t know what we think. Maybe we haven’t felt the need or had the encouragement to formulate our own beliefs.

Perhaps this is why Jesus asks these two questions of the disciples. He gets them to talk about the popular opinions about who He is. As each of the disciples begin to share what the word on the street is, Jesus interrupts them and asks them to shift gears. He wants them to take a stand.

“But, who do you say that I am?” is a personal question that allows each of them to take their eyes off the perspectives of the majority to share what they are really thinking or perhaps even saying to others about who He is.

While I believe times are changing in the U.S., in many ways remaining a passive observer of Christianity is still relatively easy. We can attend a church or go to our weekly Bible study, yet when heated discussions about Christ or Christianity arise, we may refuse to say what we believe about Jesus. If we believe that He is the Risen One, the Son of God, then this impacts just about every divisive topic that is out there these days.

However, it’s far easier to move toward the fence in the middle and avoid exposure than to boldly state our opinions. But, if through a prayer of commitment, we have proclaimed that Jesus is the Risen Son of God and the only way in which we can be saved, then we must live and speak out this answer in a way that is consistent with what we have said before God.

Dear Lord, give us courage to tell the world who we say that you are.

Jackie

Questions: Do you believe I can do this?

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Whether talking with the disciples, speaking in a public forum, or defending Himself before His enemies, Jesus consistently asked questions.  In the four gospels, Jesus asked over 300 questions.

 

Do you believe I can do this?

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”  When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. 

Matthew 9:27-30

wednesday_39494579_SWhen I was a kid, I loved watching magicians at work. The card tricks, birds popping out of hats and handkerchiefs pulled out of ears absolutely amazed me. In a category of their own, however, were the illusionists. Their tricks far superseded ordinary magic tricks. Guys like David Copperfield, David Blaine and Siegfried and Roy would cause large items to appear or disappear.

Half the time I watched their shows because I didn’t think they could really pull it off. How in the world could a person make an elephant or the Statue of Liberty disappear? But, somehow, right before my eyes, these gifted entertainers convinced me that for a moment these huge things actually vanished.

For many people who lived during Jesus’ day, Jesus was just a trickster, illusionist or even a sorcerer of sorts. They couldn’t understand how He could perform miracles. They had heard that He was healing people and making the impossible happen while others watched. Because they wanted to see for themselves, many people were following Him around just so they could see “the show.”

In today’s passage, when Jesus is approached by two blind men, He asks them, “Do you believe I can do this?” The question will reveal the status of their hearts. Were they wanting a trick or were they trusting in God and His ability? Their answer, “Yes, Lord,” tells Him exactly what He wants to know. They believed He was capable but the “Lord” told Jesus why they believed: they had faith in Jesus’ claim as well as in His ability. Jesus allowed the world to appear before their eyes.

What a great reminder to us. Having seen and heard many amazing things that God has done in my life and in the lives of those around me, I can easily say that I believe He is able to do anything. As a result, I can flood my prayers with requests, knowing He can easily answer them if He so desires.

Sadly, I don’t always allow myself to reflect on the reason why I believe He is able. First, and foremost, He is Lord. In every way possible, I must yield to Him. His plan. His ways. His timing. Because, He is Lord. I don’t think we can ever let that truth simmer too long in our hearts. It is so foundational to the reason we can actually go to Him and ask Him whatever we want.

Today, take a moment to reflect on whether you believe He can actually do what you asked Him to do yesterday? Like kids watching a great magician at work, we can overly focus on what we see. God invites us to be like these blind men who heard about the Lord, surrendered to Him and then sought His help. I believe He wants our eyes forever fixed on His position as the Lord of our lives before we lay our requests before Him. Because He is God, He is able.

Jackie

Questions: What do you want me to do for you?

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Whether talking with the disciples, speaking in a public forum, or defending Himself before His enemies, Jesus consistently asked questions.  In the four gospels, Jesus asked over 300 questions.

 

What do you want me to do for you?

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him,“Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark 10:46-52

tuesday_76827252_SWhen my kids were young toddlers, they often used temper tantrums to communicate their needs. Some days I was very patient and slowly figured out what they wanted or needed. On other days, their fits triggered something awful within me. After nothing seemed to quell their emotional state, I would bark something like, “I have no idea what you want from me!” Eventually, I would settle down and realize that they were wet or sleepy or hungry or sometimes on the verge of being physically sick. Their complete dependence upon me led them to come to me with their wants, even if they couldn’t utter them in words, just yet.

In Mark’s account, we find a man who knows that he cannot give himself what he most wants. When he hears that Jesus is walking by, he cries out to be heard by Him. I find it fascinating that even though Jesus already knows what this man needs, he asks Bartimaeus to state his request anyway. “Let me recover my sight,” he says to Jesus. In doing so, Bartimaues is forced to acknowledge his need as well as his faith in Jesus to satisfy it. Immediately, he is healed.

How many times do we remain silent before God instead of specifically asking Him for what we need? I know I sometimes do this because I am certain that he already knows what I need. Why do I need to ask Him out loud, if He already knows? I think to myself. But, like dependent children who may or may not be able to clearly communicate what we need, God invites us to identify and articulate what we need before Him and to trust that He can actually satisfy it.

Sometimes—like a little kid with arms crossed, head down, and heels dug in, I just don’t want to tell him what I want. What if He doesn’t want to give me what I want? If I don’t ask for it, then I protect my heart from having to hear what I hope to receive. While I may fool myself into saying that I am trusting Him for what is best, in actuality it is my pride that is keeping me from repeatedly returning to my God and humbly asking Him again and again. We are dependent upon the Father for all of our needs, whether we are willing to make a request to Him or not.

What do you want me to do for you? He is asking you this question right now. Speak out your needs to the Father even though He already knows your answer. And, then like Bartimaeus, walk away believing that He will always give you just what you need, even if it isn’t exactly what you had requested. Don’t you think that sometimes He is dying to give you what you want but is waiting for you to demonstrate your dependence by humbly coming before Him to present your requests? Find the words and tell him what you need.

Jackie