We all had subjects in school that were easy for us, classes that were even fun to attend because they were so suited to our strengths. We knew we had this. Our brains were just hard-wired to understand the material at first glance. We were even eager for the next chapter, the next section of that topic, anticipating the sense of accomplishment and, perhaps, secretly gloating over our facility, our easy high marks, our solid grasp of the material. We have also had I suspect, those classes which, for us, presented challenges. They were the classes we came to dread, the professors we wouldn’t have chosen, like the chemistry classes we chose because we ran out of options, or nothing else fit our class schedule. These were the classes in which, once the professor had explained a new section, would conclude with; ‘Any questions?’ to which we thought, of course! I’m lost! I didn’t understand anything of what you just said. But questions? I’m not even sure where to start in posing a question, other than, could you say that all over again, but more clearly this time?
We have arrived at day 38 of 40 in Jesus’ post-Resurrection time with his disciples. In just 2 short days, he’ll leave to rejoin his Father, having completed the earth portion of the Father’s mission. Two days! So, like all good teachers, I picture him sitting the guys down after breakfast and asking, simply, ‘Any questions?’ Putting myself in their place, I picture a prolonged period of slightly embarrassed silence as brains began spinning, desperately trying to put into words all the accumulated wonderings, misgivings, fears, etc. Times of Q&A, websites with FAQs, online sessions with chatrooms, these are all the norm for us today, but being asked directly if there were any unclear aspects of Jesus’ teachings would be unnerving to say the least! I mean, this is Jesus, not my Chemistry prof. If there were any murky fragments following a class with Jesus, it would be pretty obvious that it wasn’t the fault of the presenter. Hence, anyone with hands raised would self-declare a feeble grasp of the subject matter.
We may never know what questions arose that morning. Scripture doesn’t hold that information for us. But it’s possible that we, all these twenty-one centuries later, have some questions we’d like to ask regarding Jesus’ teachings, his parables, his miracles, his timing, the ‘how’ of this love he’s offered, and so many more! What about you? Have you been accumulating stuff you’d like to ask about? (I know you have!) What are your top three questions for Jesus, of all the things you wonder, all the things that are still foggy, everything that has pieces that don’t seem to fit together, that don’t yet make sense? Send them along to me and we’ll carve out time to ponder them together. We are promised all provision for everything we need to know. That means, gloriously, that everything that remains a mystery after we thoroughly investigate Scripture, is not for us to know. That’s so encouraging! We can put those things to rest and choose to place all our hope and trust in him. And that, friends, is rewarded faith. PD