I’ve been doing some study in the gospels, outlining all the recorded questions that Jesus asked.  So far I have identified 215 questions in the four gospels, although some of them are repeated in more than one gospel.  I have been looking at these questions and imagining that Jesus was asking me these questions today, which of course He is through His inspired Word.  But I assume that when Jesus asks a question, He wants an answer, not because He doesn’t know the answer, but because I don’t know the answer.  And Jesus, great teacher that He was and is, doesn’t just present answers, but rather involves you and me, the seekers, in the answers that we need.  So this week, I thought I would give you an assignment. 

Pick one or two questions from the questions below and spend the week meditating on and answering those questions.  Write down your answers and insights, but don’t be in a hurry to finish.  It will be interesting to look back at your thoughts at the end of the week.

 

WHAT WOULD JESUS ASK?

 

There is a book out entitled, What Would Jesus Eat?  And there was an entire product line that focused on the theme, What Would Jesus Do?  Well, I thought I could launch my own movement or theme entitled, What Would Jesus Ask?   With that in mind, let me present six of the many questions that Jesus asked in the gospel of Matthew for your consideration this week. 

 

1. Why are you afraid? (Matthew 8:26) – What are you afraid of and why?  Fear is a debilitating emotion.  It causes you to make wrong decisions based on what may happen. Often your fears are based on past traumas and failures that you haven’t resolved.  Jesus asks you to identify your fears and answer why you are afraid, so that you can grow in your ability to trust Him.  You may want to write down all the things of which you are afraid and come up with some reasons why.  Or you may wish to focus on one fear—failure, poverty, looking foolish, your parents—and focus on that this week.
2. What do you think? (Matthew 18:12-13; 21:28) – I was in a church recently and heard a pastor give a message and I had this thought while he was preaching:  He didn’t hear this message for himself; he read it in a book somewhere.  Ironically, that was confirmed later in the day while I was talking with someone close to the pastor!  My point is that most people aren’t sure what they think or believe.  They just know and mimic what someone else knows and believes.  Jesus tried to get people to formulate and articulate what they believed and what they knew about God and His work.  Often we are too lazy to do their own thinking, so they assimilate someone else’s.  When I faced how ignorant I was years ago, I went back to school so I could tell people what I believed and why.  Why do you believe what you do?  Can you describe it?  If not, then this week determine how you can fix this problem?
3. Have you never read? (Matthew 12:3-6; 21:16; 22:31-32) – Jesus challenged the people to read and understand the Scriptures.  They were familiar with them, but they couldn’t apply them to their lives in many cases.  What are you reading in the Bible?  What are you learning as you read?  If you don’t already, I urge you to begin a journal to keep track of what God is showing you from His Word.  I also urge you to have a system that will enable you to read through the Bible regularly.  But write down what you are learning as you read and make it a regular habit.  You can begin this week.
4. What do you want me to do for you? (Matthew 20:32) – When I am in a church and pray for people, I almost always ask them, “What would you like the Lord to do for you?”  I am amazed at how many people struggle with this question. They can’t be specific.  So this week, you may want to focus on this question for yourself.  What do you want God to do for you?  Don’t feel guilty if it’s something significant and don’t feel like if God blesses you that He must take someone else’s blessing to do so.  Meditate this week on the desires of your heart and then write them down for you to see.
5. Don’t you believe I am able to do this? (Matthew 9:28) – There are some things that just see too big for God to perform.  I know He can do anything, but I am so familiar with some situations and people that I don’t think they will ever change.  Is there anything that you aren’t bringing to God in prayer because it’s just too big?  If so, you may need to answer this question this week and bring the truth into the light.  You know in your heart God can do anything, but you aren’t convinced He can (or wants to) do it for you.  Maybe you want to write God a letter this week about this situation, so you can see what you are thinking.
6. Why did you doubt? (Matthew 14:23) – There are many times I have doubted God’s faithfulness or ability to fulfill His promises, and then He overcame my doubts and did it anyway.  Then I look back and say, “Why did I doubt?”, only to doubt again at the next crisis.  Jesus was asking His followers here to find out why they were doubting so they could stop. With that in mind, answer this question this week for yourself.  Do you doubt because your parents disappointed you?  Do you doubt because God has disappointed you in the past?  Are you afraid to believe for fear of looking foolish?  Meditate on this question but make sure you write down your answers.  And don’t just write them down to complete this exercise.  Write them down so you can attack them in the power of the Spirit and rid them from your life.

 

There you have this week’s questions.  Of course, you don’t have to limit this exercise to this week.  You may want to take a question every week for the next six weeks.  Or you may want to reach into the gospels and pull out another question not listed above.  But the most important thing is that you make an effort to record your answers to these questions as the Spirit leads.  As I stated earlier, these questions aren’t for God’s benefit—He already knows the answer.  These questions are for your benefit.  I hope that as you answer them you will see how the answers can set you free to be a person of purpose and productivity in the will of God.  And it goes without saying that I hope you have a great week!