Just Who is Your Teacher?

August 9, 2022

Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. - John 16:19-24 (NLT)

A friend once asked Isidor I. Rabi, a Nobel prize winner in science, how he became a scientist. Rabi replied that every day after school his mother would talk to him about his school day. She wasn't so much interested in what he had learned that day, but she always inquired, "Did you ask a good question today?"

"Asking good questions," Rabi said, "made me become a scientist."

Asking good questions should help us become better followers of Jesus.

It has been said, and rightly so, that there are no dumb questions…only questions we stupidly neglected to ask!

A disciple/student of Jesus should have lots of questions. As a matter of fact, one might argue that the person with the least amount of questions has not opened the Bible.

Questions allow us time to think, consider, unlearn, learn, remember, and apply. Asking questions should be a normal part of the life of every believer.

Recently, a new friend recommended to Missy and I the book, The 5Q Method of Discipleship, by Matt Friedeman. We haven’t thoroughly mined through it yet but we wanted to share with you the five questions the author suggests “will change your life.”

Question 1: Scripture
    Read a passage of Scripture, asking the Lord: “What do You want to say to us through Your Word?”

Question 2: Adoration
    From the passage, how can we praise God?

Question 3: Change
    From this Scripture, what does the Lord want us to do/change?

Question 4: Testimony and Thanks
    From the theme (or one of the themes/words/precepts) of the passage, how can we testify and give        thanks for how the Lord has helped us or given us an example of the theme in His Body?

Question 5: Supplication
    How can I pray for a member of this group from our text for the day?

Well, as you may have well figured out, this is some pretty intensive discipleship. It is decidedly for the one who truly wants to be a student of the Master - Jesus of Nazareth.

It’s not for the casual Christian. It’s not for the carnal Christian. It’s not for the cheap-grace Christian. This is for those who truly want to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn.

It is for those who are not afraid to ask questions…and find answers.

The world is being discipled by news agencies, political parties, social media, and group think. The world’s discipleship programs aim at dividing, squashing original thought, destroying culture, blasting tradition, and conquering hope.

Following a discipleship plan - based on the words and thoughts of God - strives only to unite, mature the mind, and create a loving and serving culture. It reminds us of our foundations that have stood the test of time and breathes hope to the hopeless, mercy to the hurting, and healing to the broken.

The only question left to ask is: when will you start asking the right questions?

Well, we’ve listed five of them for you! (Thanks to Hal Perkins and Matt Friedeman!)

Now, grab your bible (or click on that app).

Open to John 3:16-17.

Ask the questions.

And let’s get together soon to see what God is revealing to us; what God is calling us to do in response; what God is seeking to change in us; how God can use what we learn in our lives and the lives of those we love; and let us rejoice in the fact that the “mysteries of God” have been revealed to his children and for that we are grateful!