Jump Start # 1189

Mark 9:33 “And they came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’”

  We are looking at the questions of Jesus this week. Our Lord used this as a great method of teaching. Our passage today shows the way that questions can penetrate the heart and make a person truly think. There are many hymns that ask a question. The song, “O why not tonight,” has been used to get people to think about their relationship with the Lord. I know one person who was asked that very question after the congregation sang that song. “O why not tonight?” That person thought and decided to come to Christ.

Jesus, in our verse, asked the disciples what were you discussing. Jesus knew. He wanted them to fess up to what they were talking about. It wasn’t good. They should have known better. The following verse states, “But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.” What a dumb topic to talk about. Why does it matter? It did to them. I suppose each was putting forth reasons why they ought to have been the greatest. Maybe the ‘inner three’, Peter, James and John, thought they had the inside track to being the greatest. Poor Thaddeus, there’s simply not much there about him. He must have really felt left out. They didn’t understand that there wasn’t a pecking order in the kingdom. There was no such thing as the greatest. The modern concept of naming church buildings after the apostles is the very opposite of what Jesus was stressing. More than that, they completely missed the picture that Jesus was putting before them. He was a servant. He served others. He went when asked. He helped. He busied Himself in the lives of others. How could they see all this and miss the point? Jesus wasn’t being catered to. He was the one who was doing.

There is a greater lesson here with Jesus’ question. Asking, what were you discussing, would make them reveal the subject and the problem. They remained silent. Parents today generally get a “nothing.” What are you doing? Nothing. Nothing is the theme song for young people. What happened at today at school a parent asks. The answer, Nothing. What are you watching on TV? Nothing.

It is interesting that Jesus didn’t let the subject drop. He didn’t let their silence be the end. There was a problem brewing and He knew it. So they sat down in the house and Jesus says, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” Their eyes must have bounced around looking at one another. How did He know? Who told Him? Guilty and embarrassed, it was a lesson learned.

Penetrating questions are hard to ask. They are also hard to answer. They are personal. Without a relationship, such questions feel nosey. You wouldn’t ask a neighbor who you barely knew, how much he was making? His response would be, ‘It’s none of your business.’ And he’s right. Some times we try to make things our business when it’s not. This strains feelings down at the church house and even in the family. I know. I’ve been asked them. I guess when you are a preacher everyone feels like they have a right to know. And some of the stuff they want to know, they shouldn’t. We had four wonderful children. When my wife would come to services with a new born in arms, we’d be asked, ‘Are you going to have any more?’ We were asked, ‘When are you going to have the next one?’ Those questions are personal and really no one else needs to know.

There is a place for penetrating questions.

• Parents have a right to ask them of their children. Kids can be slick and dodge questions. They can be vague, ambiguous and play hide and seek with their answers. Looking eyeball to eyeball, no earphones in their ears, no texting in their hands, there comes a time for questions. When the behavior is not right, ask the questions. When grades are slipping, ask the questions. When they start getting an attitude, ask the questions. When they hang out with the wrong people, ask the questions. You ask, because you care and you have a right to know. When they say, “I don’t have to tell you,” they’re wrong. They do.

• In a personal Bible study, there comes a time for penetrating questions. Not at first, but after a few studies. When trust and relationships have been formed. When they see that the Bible is final standard that we go by. When studies have led to the person making a decision, a decision needs to be made. What will you do? Do you know my Jesus? O why not tonight? As you read passages together and explain them, let the word of God work on the heart. Ask the question and then wait. Silence is hard. But wait. Wait for them to say something. Wait for a response. There may be questions they have. There may be some things they don’t understand. There may be a fear factor that you can help them overcome. They may just be waiting for you to ask them.

• There is a place for the penetrating questions when helping someone overcome trouble in their life. Again, you need to have a relationship with the person, otherwise you appear as nosey, which you are. Not knowing someone limits what we can ask them. James discusses the value of confessing our sins to one another. There is great help and encouragement in that. There is a place for the deep and personal questions. Those moments can be the very thing that turns a heart the right direction. The right questions, asked the right way, by the right person…tender, patiently, kindly—these are the necessary ingredients that make personal questions useful.

I believe Jesus could have asked another question to the disciples. He asked, ‘What were you discussing…’ He could have asked, ‘Why were you discussing that?’ The why’s are as important as the what’s. Jesus asked this question because He cared and He was shaping the hearts of the disciples. Caring questions help. Nosey questions harm. Some people just want to know. They don’t plan to do anything with the information other than possibly tell someone else. There is a difference between prying questions and penetrating questions. There is a difference between nosey questions and caring questions. Make sure you understand the difference and use prayer and wisdom in how you use these.

Inquiring minds want to know…caring hearts want to help. Big difference. Jesus knew the difference.

Roger