Twenty Questions

My sermon title for this week is "20 Questions," and not surprisingly, I've been thinking about questions a lot. This sermon title was inspired by our Gospel reading from Matthew 22:34-46 in which a group of Pharisees asks questions of Jesus to "test" him. You know, there's just no way that can turn out well!

Now I don't mean to imply that it's not a good idea to ask questions of Jesus. I believe bringing all of ourselves-our joy, fear, anger, confusion, doubts, devotion, and questions- to God is our most faithful response to God's love and grace. But there's something to be said for how and why we pose our questions to God. In the 22nd chapter of Matthew, both the Sadducees and the Pharisees take turns trying to trick Jesus into offering false witness, for they've already decided he's dangerous, and they're plotting to kill him. That's their sole purpose, to offer him a test which they want him to fail.

If that's the motivation behind the questions we pose to God, then I would say that our questions are not any more faithful than those of the Sadducees and the Pharisees. But I don't think it is. When we ask our questions of God, I believe it's most often in the attempt to know and be known by God more deeply than before. Questions, often, are simply our way of staying in conversation with God. In fact, I don't think we'd even bother with our questions if we weren't certain that ultimately, God will never fail us.

I hope between now and our worship this weekend, you will spend time talking with God and asking your questions. Then bring the ones you have left to church with you. You and your questions are always welcome here.
Blessings...