The Gift of a Question
Do you ever find yourself screaming at the TV?
“JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!”
Maybe it’s just me, but are our politicians particularly bad at questions at the moment? They never seem to ask or answer anything in a way that allows us to move forward. Their questions and answers just seem to have us wading in treacle. It’s almost like their answers are designed to confuse rather than aid understanding.
Questions are a tricky thing I think. Both for the ‘ask-er’ and the ‘answer-er’. Just watch any clip with Laura Kuenssberg (BBC News Political Editor) and any of our MP’s! Questions give the opportunity for a unique moment of information sharing, but it’s not quite as straight forward as just an information exchange is it? Have you ever had a question that hasn’t been answered, or not been able to answer a question? Have you ever been offended by a question or it’s answer? Have you ever had a question that’s stopped you moving forward?
I love the way we see Jesus’ competence with questions in the Gospel’s. He doesn’t just answer them, he also asks them. He’s not flustered by the question. He doesn’t avoid the question. He answers with honest integrity, always seeking to move us towards a greater understanding and heart for God.
Think about the time in the Bible when a ruler comes to Jesus and asks “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers
“Why do you call me good? No-one is good — except God alone. You know the commandments . . . you lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor . . . Then come and follow me.”
In a few lines Jesus is able to give an answer that affirms the validity of the question, promotes thought and self-reflection, reveals the heart of who God is, and the way of life for those who follow him. This is more than a question and answer session for the sake of information exchange! These are questions that dig down to the fundamentals of life. What is the purpose or meaning of life? Jesus’ answer is clear but also thought provoking, always looking to move us towards a greater understanding and heart for God. Always moving us forward.
Christianity Explored (the course currently running on Wednesdays) seeks to do some similar things. To allow space in the craziness of life for questions that dig down to the fundamentals of life. In the Jewish culture at the time of Jesus, religious debate was very much the order day. For us, this is maybe more difficult, which makes the time spent at Christianity Explored all the more precious. It seeks not to be an information exchange but to move us towards a greater understanding and heart for God. Life Groups also have the same ambition; a safe place for questions of life where we can promote self-reflection and the way of life for followers of Jesus.
When you think about it, a question (and its answer) has the power to be the most transformative thing. It can be mundane swap shop of information ‘How are you?’ ‘Fine. You?’, or it can be the exploration of things of eternal significance. At Christchurch we want to be a place where life’s questions are asked, where answers are filled with the wisdom of Jesus and don’t keep us standing still, but moving forward. We want to be a place that values the gift of a question. Come, ask one.
Christianity Explored — Wed 7:30, Contact judith@xchurch.org.uk
Life Groups — Tues & Thurs pm, Sun am, Contact matt@xchurch.org.uk ash@xchurch.org.uk
