Beyond Sandwich Questions

I was in line at a fast food place the other day. Always the same drill. I placed my order and pulled forward. As I waited in line to receive my “high protein” sustenance, I picked up the “to do” list to my right. The day was young and I had completed half of the list. Yea!

As I thought about the list, I discovered that every item began with a basic albeit unwritten question: Have you done “such and such”? And, it got me thinking. What kind of questions do we answer on a daily basis? To prime your pump, here are just a few.

When is my next appointment? Did I get the meat out of the freezer for dinner tonight? Who is picking up the kids? Can I get a connecting flight? What time do they close? When will they arrive? Do you want mayo with that? What happens in the BCS if four teams finish the season undefeated? What did the stock market do this morning? How much is one year of college tuition? How long will they be staying? Can I get that in blue? What is the model number? Now, what was that address? Do you deliver?

Heard them before…right? Functional questions. Everyday questions. Questions we have to answer to live responsibly as business people – as parents – as friends. Some questions have to be answered everyday. Some only occasionally.

Have you ever read one of the gospel accounts and listened to the questions people ask? I’ll do you one better than that. Have you ever read a gospel account and listened to the questions Jesus asks? Good question…hey? I was reading through the gospels the other day and caught myself noticing the questions Jesus asks people. Too many to recount here. Here is the majority of the questions he asked during the week leading up to His crucifixion.

• What do you think about the Christ, whose Son is He?
• Who is greater? The one who reclines at table or the one who serves?
• Why are you sleeping?
• Could you not keep watch for one hour?
• For if they do these things in the green tree what will happen in the dry?
• Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
• Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know me, Philip?
• Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?
• Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and he will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
• Do you now believe?
• Whom do you seek?
• You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?
• If I have spoken wrongly bear witness of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?
• Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
• My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?

Not your ordinary questions...right? I think gospel writers gave us a record of the questions Jesus put before other people because…well…we need to hear them. His questions cut through the ordinariness of our existence and present us with some serious opportunities for reflecting about our lives and what we think about God, our stewardship of life and purpose. I'll fess up here. I think we are kindred spirits in at least one respect, namely, there are hundreds of questions we had rather think about.

Jesus' questions stand at the edge of thought and peer longingly into our hearts. Part prophet. Part savior. But, questions that come with the ministry of understanding, strength, awareness, change and hope. They aren’t “how do you want your sandwich” questions. They are the kind of questions whose answers affect the very essence and quality of our lives. They help us stay on pace with what it means to live in wisdom. They remind us that life isn’t a simple task list. It’s bigger than that. And, our everyday task lists are a piece of the bigger picture. I think it’s the key to seeing life 20-20. And, that makes all the difference in the world.

Is there a particular question knocking on your door? Enjoy your sandwich!

Gracious Father we move too fast. We go through life getting a lot of things done - necessary things. But in the course of getting our things done we look past your things - your calling of us to be in the world as salt, leaven and light. O God help us to learn how to listen to your word and to bring our hearts into conversation with it. And thank you for asking us questions that help us see the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary. Amen

Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas

My Fascination with Parables

Series: Stories Jesus Told


My fascination with Parables probably comes from the fact that I have heard the same Parable be taught in a dozen ways. I am fascinated with the words of our Messiah. It's through Parables we probably can imagine the disciples all in tuned and figuring out what Jesus is trying to say (or not say), not in their individual life (individualism did not exist like it does in America), but it's implications for their community, and Church. I'm eager to see if these Parables can work on our collective souls like it has on countless readers before us.

Mark 4:1-20 “The Bad Soil”
 Soil that gives the seed no opportunity to sprout
 Soil that does not allow deep roots
 Soil that chokes the seed after it has grown, before it can yield fruit.

Parables point to a reality that is not always a literal statement of facts. Parables are meant to combine elements of clarity and hiddenness. Those who accept the Parables as teachings do so in knowing that Jesus came to discuss a new reality while those who are hostile to Jesus find parables unusual and offensive. Parables become a proclamation for both insiders and outsiders of the Word made flesh. Here is some rambling notes of the parable in Mark 4:1-20. Maybe this provides some clarity, confusion, and faith development. That’s the beauty of parabolic teaching.

(1-8) True discipleship understands that faith is not a quick fix to hardships or solutions to unanswered questions in life. People need to understand that faith does not offer comfort and security but sacrifice and discomfort. Many people don't realize this, but their lives have been taken over by demands of success rather than devotion to their God.

(9-12) Discouragement from Life-Long Christians!! What have we done wrong in bringing up our generations? Frustration is understandable, especially in today's world. The Word, which became flesh, the gospel, died for a frustrating people. Even Jesus did not connect with all those who heard his message.

(13-20) Faith, Parables, and Riddles seem to relate. People can get frustrated with parables and never understand them or take pleasure in them. Sometimes our faith journey is like that. A good example is people who are yearning for a covenantal relationship with God that find religious language and practice frustrating and meaningless. It's with these people we strive even harder to connect with and show the love of Christ. Parabolic teaching is not always about finding answers but it’s learning how to wrestle in our faith. Jacob did (Gen 32:22ff), why can’t we?

Prayer: God, bless us in times of confusion and lack of clarity. In these times we ask not for answers, but an opportunity to grow in our discipleship and faith journey with you.

Mic Biesboer
Stephenville, Texas

Just Like a Potato Skin

Series: Stories Jesus Told





Last week, while eating supper with my wife and my daughter (age nine), I had one of those moments where one does a “double-take”. It was an instance that causes one to pause and reflect.

The meal consisted of ribeye steak, green beans, and baked potatoes (I call this a “king’s feast”). The conversation during the meal shifted back and forth between things we encountered that day and anticipation of things to come. Midway through the meal, I heard my daughter speak words that I did not think would ever come from her lips. “You know, the best thing about the potato is the skin.” she exclaimed. While I was pleased with her new found appetite for what some consider the most nutritional part of the potato, I was also perplexed because usually we have to separate the skin from the potato before it reaches her plate because she despises it so. Wow! Just when you think you know someone!

This reminded me of a parable that Jesus once told of two men who went to the temple to pray. One of the men was a Pharisee or “teacher of the law” and considered to be a religious example during that time. The other man was a tax collector and most often viewed as an outcast. At the temple, the Pharisee thanked God that he was not like the tax collector or other “evildoers” and boasted of his deeds. The tax collector “would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luke 18:13). Wow! Just when you think you know someone.

This story interests me because had I been a part of society back then I would have thought that I could identify a person who knew God. I would have picked the Pharisee. However, Christ tells us that because the tax collector humbled himself, he was the one that was justified before God. The tax collector was the one who really knew God!

I wonder sometimes if we are like the Pharisee and lose sight of who God is and what it means to be a disciple. I wonder sometimes if we get caught up in the do-it-yourself mentality and forget that we are sinners and need a savior. Perhaps we don’t want to admit that we are vulnerable and need a family to lean on. Maybe we encounter times in life where being set apart as kingdom people is not appealing to our selfish appetites and can be tough to swallow…kind of like a potato skin.

Christ said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – (John 10:14). “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27).
These passages paint a vivid image of a shepherd leading, feeding, mending, protecting, and providing for his flock as the sheep are seen listening to, responding to, and following his instruction. How grand a picture of love and trust that is framed in a relational context!

To know Christ is to know God. To know Christ is to follow in his footsteps from pasture to pasture.

Father, help me to recognize my inequities so that I can humble myself. Help me to see you as my shepherd. I pray that my pride subsides and I allow you to lead me. Grant me strength to follow. I want to know you. Amen.

Todd Adams – Dublin, Texas

Where I Am

Series: Stories Jesus Told



Sheep are not intelligent creatures. That is why I feel mildly disgruntled every time I read a passage of scripture that compares God’s people to sheep. We aren’t that stupid, right? Maybe it isn’t about a lack of intelligence. Maybe it’s just about a lack of awareness and knowledge. Which is very different from sheer stupidity.

I was reading Luke 15 this morning and was struck by the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. They’re very short stories--only ten verses, combined. There are 99 sheep, one gets lost, the shepherd goes and finds it, everyone throws a party. A woman has ten silver coins, loses one, searches the house and finds it, everyone throws a party. Seems very simple.

Our focus is usually on the shepherd and the woman of the house. They search. He leaves 99 sheep to go retrieve one. Ninety-nine! For one sheep? The woman lights a lamp, gets out her broom, and scours the house for one coin. She has nine others! Why not let the other one go? As a child and young adult, these are the thoughts I’d entertain while reading these parables.

I think these parables are just as much about the one sheep and one coin as they are about the effort of the shepherd and woman. Sheep are easily misled and are usually unaware of the fact that they are wandering away from where they should be. A coin is an inanimate object. It can’t even consciously choose to wander away. Sometimes we wander away from the path that the Lord has put before us without even realizing it. We look up one day and realize we’re lost. Sometimes we don’t know we’re lost until the shepherd has arrived and is throwing us over his shoulder, gently carrying us back to the fold. We don’t realize our will strayed from His until the woman is cupping us in her outstretched hands, slowly shining our marred surfaces.

This is a message not only to us, but also to the Pharisees and scribes to whom Jesus is telling these Parables. Jesus is sitting down to teach the tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees say, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!” He immediately goes into the first parable. Of course He welcomes sinners and eats with them! He’s promised to meet us where we are, whether we’re “whitewashed tombs” or the obvious kind--“tax collectors and sinners.”

God meets me where I am. Does that mean that I should stay there and wait if I realize I’ve strayed before He arrives? No. It just means that I don’t have to fear, because in the midst of my blindness, my unconscious waywardness, and my ignorant wanderings, the Lord is seeking me fervently and will come and get me, regardless of how far I’ve unknowingly wandered. The sheep analogy isn’t so insulting now. It just means the Lord knows the nature of the people He created and that He will show us grace despite--and because of--our flaws. I love the way it feels when he lovingly sets me back down in the fold.

God,
Thank you for meeting us where we are. We know our hearts wander and we are sorry. Thank you for showing us grace when you find us, and helping us get back to where we came from--near to Your heart. Help us to read these parables and remember to do the same for others who stray. Help us to show them grace, too, because we are all dead without it. We love You so much, our faithful Shepherd.
Through Jesus,
Amen.



Erin Daugherty
Abilene Christian University

Because I Want to

Series: Stories Jesus Told

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

Earlier this week (1/30), Randy described Jesus’ ability to convey important lessons through telling stories. They are real life - real experiences with common people. I think we can all relate to that. What’s interesting to me is that the stories Jesus told over 2,000 years ago still relate to me - to today’s life; today’s struggles! Cultures have evolved but the basics of life are exactly the same! We are a sinful people who are subject to failure everyday BUT have the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ available through the unending grace of our loving Father! That hasn’t change a single bit over the last 2,000 years!

Jesus lived on earth just as we do so that he could set a perfect example for life here on earth. Man could not use this as an excuse! God did (and does) understand what life is like here on earth – the struggles, the temptations, the strife. He chose to send his son ( His ONLY son!) to live on earth, talk the talk and WALK THE WALK! As a sinful and struggling people, we needed his example. We need to observe his life on earth. We need to hear his down – to – earth stories about people just like us in situations just like ours. As intelligent as we are, sometimes we need stories that are simple, ones that we can relate to - stories that we find ourselves represented in.

If you read the entire 12th chapter of Mark, you can envision what the experience must have been like. Pharisees and teachers of the law were trying so hard to catch Jesus in a trap. They asked him a barrage of questions, observed him constantly and made every effort to disprove his teachings. All the while, Jesus was patient, poised and tolerant of their behavior. He knew the words written on their hearts. I can just imagine Jesus’ demeanor at the temple. He was patient – answered their questions with reverence but conviction. He constantly observed people’s behavior, their emotions, their facial expressions. He was reading each person – reading their heart.

Picture Jesus sitting across from the collection plate - quietly, just watching each person as they made their own contribution. Many people came and went placing their money in the plate. Perhaps some people carelessly, without a heightened awareness of what they were really doing, simply put money in the plate. According to scripture, they put a lot of money in the plate! But, Jesus could tell by the look on their face that their heart wasn’t in it! It was a routine gesture for many, checking off the item on their spiritual to-do list. But, for this poor widow, things were different. Her husband was gone and her lifestyle certainly wasn’t a lavish one. Nonetheless, she didn’t hesitate to wholeheartedly give “all she had to live on”. Honestly, I can’t say that I have put every single dollar I have in the collection plate or donated it to HIS service. But, I really don’t think that’s the point. I believe the point of the story is that we must trust our Father, in EVERY situation, that firstly, he deserves all that we have and secondly, will provide for us regardless of our situation. It’s really a matter of the heart. If we choose to give ourselves, our time, our money, to the Lord then we choose HIM to be in control. We choose HIS will over ours. It’s so easy to give our contribution at church because it’s the’ right thing to do’. But it should be because we want to do it – completely, unselfishly, trusting the Lord will bless it as he sees fit.

Father, thank you for loving us so much that you provide for our every need. Forgive me when I fail to surrender my heart and my worldly possessions to you. Please help me Lord, to willing give of my time and my money so that your kingdom may grow. Thank you for sending Jesus to earth to show the way I should live. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Mischelle Tittor

Cleburne, Texas

On My Key Chain

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me - John 14:1-2

In April of 2010, while my husband was abroad helping to construct a new Christian broadcast station I lost a baby at four months. In his efforts to come home early, the volcano eruptions in Iceland halted air traffic all over the globe. As his original departure date neared, government issues in Madagascar again delayed his arrival by another two days.

Thankfully during this time my boys and I were in Texas with the support of our family. I had previously lost loved ones to old age, cancer and heart disease, however the loss of our unborn child affected me more deeply than I felt my faith could handle. I couldn’t understand how or why our little one needed to go home before ever arriving; especially when we were working for God. It was in this grief that my heart experienced its deepest anger. During the weeks awaiting my husband’s return I allowed Satan to feed this anger. Almost undetectable at first, the Deceiver subtlety planted seeds of doubt, fear and hurt. Instead of taking these questions and thoughts before the Lord, I felt justified in turning away from prayer and the solace of God’s word. I didn’t even realize how angry I had grown until my husband’s return and suggestion of prayer together. I had come to the point where I was comfortable with my anger and wasn’t ready to let it go.

Over the next months I held fast to 1 John 3:20, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” I openly confessed the sins of my heart and asked God to forgive my resentment. It didn’t work at first. I tried again and again. Over time God’s patience eroded my anger.

But Satan wasn’t done with me yet. Soon after Christmas, our family lost one of our closest friends in a car wreck. More than just a friend, this vibrant mentor was an adopted grandmother to our family who found themselves a long way from our home in West Texas. Cathy’s loss was hard, but finding out that her loss was due to the irresponsible actions of someone else…now that was just too much to handle.

Just like the disciples, with a troubled heart I too have wondered, “Why now, Lord?” (John 13-15). The answer is the same for us as it is for Jesus’ disciples, “Trust in God; trust also in me.” No matter the challenge, tragedy, or blessing; God wants us to trust him. Trusting and believing that God’s plan is bigger than ours in the face of tough times is freeing and healing. He knows our hearts will be troubled, but He also knows the answer to our heart’s greatest need: Trust.

I have had a key chain for many years inscribed with the verse, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding,” found in Proverbs chapter 3. I now more eagerly read verse 8, “It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”

Lord, thank you for loving us even when we doubt and grow angry in our lack of understanding. Give us trusting hearts that see your eternal plan at work in our lives. Your strength and power in taking on our burdens and questions is mighty. We thank you for healing our hearts and refreshing our bones when we grow weak.

Dana Jaworski
Anchorage, Alaska

We Need a Savior

Series: Stories Jesus Told


Our strengths can often reveal our weaknesses. In her book, Personality Plus (Revell, 1983, 1992), Florence Littauer points out that positive traits carried to extremes become negatives (p.86-87). The man with quick, incisive leadership is driven to succeed; but his extreme behavior can become “bossy, controlling, and manipulative.” The woman that is sociable and full of joy is envied for her conversation skills; but carried to extremes she is “constantly talking, monopolizing, interrupting, and straying too far from the truth” and often has difficulty staying focused. The perfectionist has deep analytical thinking; but carried to extremes he becomes brooding and depressed. The peaceful person’s easygoing nature makes him a good friend and a group favorite; yet carried to extremes he “doesn’t care about doing anything and is indifferent and indecisive.” Jesus gives an excellent example of this paradox in human behavior in The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Read: Luke 18:9-14).

The Pharisee has the strength of faith to be confident in approaching God in prayer. Unfortunately, the Pharisee’s confidence causes him to mistakenly rely on his own accomplishments and abilities as his credentials to approach God. This self-justification also causes him to condescendingly view the Tax Collector. The Pharisee is justifying himself through comparison to a “sinner.” He forgot about his own sins and about the true comparison, Jesus Christ. The Pharisee is over emphasizing his worthiness before God. He recounts his accomplishments and flaunts his resume. How is it possible for him to remember all his accomplishments, yet forget his transgressions? How does he piously stand before God? (Reference: Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:12-13; 12:7)

In contrast, the Tax Collector demonstrates the awareness of a sinful life. He seeks mercy. Though undeserved, he knows it is only by God’s grace he is saved.

According to Jesus, a humble and contrite spirit is more desirable for the disciple of Christ. How can a believer submit to the Lord’s leading if he is busily defending his own worthiness? The Lord desires righteousness, but we fall short because we have all sinned (Romans 3:9-31). As a demonstration of His love for us, the Lord sent his Son, Jesus, to die for us… paying the debt we owed, reconciling us, so that we are now justified and will be saved (Romans 5:6-11). If we deny our need for a savior, we “deceive ourselves” and make “God out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:8-10). We need a savior!

Prayer
Merciful Father, we humbly bow before your throne. You alone are worthy of praise. We confess our unworthiness and acknowledge we need a savior. Thank you for paying the price for the debt we owed. Through Jesus we pray, Amen.

Carl Smith
Stephenville, Texas

Good Stories and "Then Some"

Series: Stories Jesus Told

I love a good story. In fact I don’t know anybody who doesn’t enjoy listening to a good story. Stories have a way of awakening our minds and stoking our imagination. As a story unfolds we naturally anticipate “what’s next”? Curiosity comes natural for most anyone.

I think that partly explains why Jesus told stories. Scripture calls them parables. Jesus had a knack for taking slices of everyday life and serving them up as pictures of what kingdom living is all about. Someone once said to me, “I think about the parables as ‘talking in crayon’”.

Most teachers in Jesus’ day talked about faith in rather complicated terms. Spiritual conversations were mostly heavy and uninteresting. But, Jesus’ style was different. He talked in ways that caused his teaching to land in the ear a bit differently. In modern vernacular, he “put it on their level”. He told stories about seeds, fishing nets, hidden treasure, weddings, and banquets, stewards operating large estates, lost coins, lost sheep and lost sons, trees struggling to bear fruit, and a guy fixated on building it bigger and better until the day he suddenly died. He drew on experiences, attitudes and events that everybody knew about. And, every story had a point.

Every story is told with the purpose of putting something in front of us. Some are encouraging. Some hit us like a jolt of electricity. Some beg us to drop the scales from our eyes and see in a more clear way what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. They tear away the skin of traditionalism and status quo thinking that can envelope our lives and our congregations, with the hope of reawakening us to what it means to live the gospel on daily basis.

These simple stories were re-told by gospel writers for a reason. Who among us hasn’t been overwhelmed by life? We know how crazy life can get. We know about its seductions. We know the occasional struggle of trying to hum “this little light of mine” in a world that scoffs at faith and says, “live instinctually”. These stories bring strength and perspective disguised in simple plot lines.

• Has God thrown seed across your life? If so, what kind of ground are you? Am I? Is the seed still bearing fruit in us?
• Do we live oblivious to the fact that Jesus will return or do we, like the stewards who took care of the estate, carry on knowing the master (MASTER!) could return any day?
• Do we respect our faith like the guy who found buried treasure in a field and sold everything to buy the field?
• Can we hear the Father’s invitation to come to His table or are we too busy with “our lives” to hear the most magnificent thing any person can hear – the call of God through the gospel of His Son?
• Would we hunt for a person like the lady who searched for a coin or a shepherd a lost sheep or a father his estranged son? And, do we know how to throw parties for people who have come back from the spiritual dead?

Point? We need these stories. We need them every day. We need these simple stories to keep us focused on what matters. To show us reality from God’s vantage point. To borrow from Paul, they help us “take every thought captive to obedience to Christ”. Satan would have us ignorant of these stories. The more distance between us and them…the better. But, we are not ignorant of his schemes! The parables are weapons that belong in our arsenal and which help us in our struggle against sin in its many forms.

My encouragement to us all is to spend some time traveling across the landscape of the parables. Look at life – your life, the world, your congregation – through the lens of these simple stories. Tucked away in each story is a “faith awakening” that will bless our lives.

O Father, lift the veil from our eyes and give us once again the eyes of a child. Give us ears with which to hear your calling of us. Sometimes we get lost in all the messages and seductions that come at us in this life. Give us the ability to discern your truth however it comes to us. Thank you for these stories that show us what it means to belong to you and honor you with our lives. Amen

Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas