“Oh, I Was Meaning to Ask That!” by Richard W. Steffen, Minister of Music
I’ve always had questions to ask. I had many questions for my father when I was young about his wonderful experience. You see, my father was one of the shepherds THAT night. I heard the story over and over again – it was always so exciting to hear! The night the angels filled the sky praising God and singing, “Gloria in excelsis Deo! (Glory to God in the highest!)” The night they went down the hillside, bringing their sheep with them, and finding Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. The night they worshipped that newborn King. My questions were: “Angels?” “What was it like?” “And then?” I’m not a shepherd as my father was. I like working with wood, and I have lots of questions about wood working! Such as: how did Noah find so much cypress wood to make the ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high? And: how hard was it for Moses and the people of Israel to work with acacia wood to make the Ark of the Covenant which was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high? I keep busy making tables for the folks of my village, but I always have questions. I’ve been following this Jesus, son of Joseph. He’s an itinerant preacher and healer from Nazareth, and I’m thinking that he is the one my father worshipped as a newborn 30 years ago! The crowds surrounding Jesus become very excited when they hear him preach: about God loving us, about how we should love each other, and about that Kingdom of God being here and now! I’ve been close to this Jesus, almost close enough to ask some of my questions. At times I have been ready to ask them, and someone else in the crowd will ask questions similar to mine before I get to! That’s okay, because I still get to hear his answers. Questions such as: “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Matthew 11:3 NLT) And: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21 NRSV) And: “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?” (Matthew 18:21 CEV)
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The Jewish leaders in our village talk about a time when God will send a Messiah. He will have the qualities of a prophet, priest, and king in Israel. He will be the “suffering servant” and he will be the descendent of King David. I have heard about questions that were asked in our earlier Hebrew times. Some were asked by Satan, by God, by Cain, by Abraham, by Job, and by Moses. I remember these: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1 NIV) “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9 CEB) “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9 NKJV) “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25 NKJV) “If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14 ESV) “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13 ESV) I heard that this Jesus answered questions with other questions. “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:38, 40 NLT) Some of my questions didn’t have the words I needed to ask them, but when I heard the words of others – even from a rich ruler – I really listened to the answer this Jesus gave. “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And he did it again! He answered the ruler’s question with another question! “Why do you call me good?” But then their conversation made me even more confused. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” This Jesus replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” (Luke 18:18-27 NRSV) So, I’m still asking questions. I’m still following this Jesus. And I’m believing what he is saying.
