I have often heard it said, “When I get to heaven I know what question I am going to ask Jesus.”  I think we all have unanswered questions.  Let’s face it, there are many things we would like to know that we don’t have answers to.  But, I don’t think the first thing we will do when we enter the presence of the Lord is to ask Him our questions.  I think we will fall on our face.

Questions aren’t bad; in fact, they help us dig deeper into things.  As we question and probe, we learn and grow.  But maybe, just maybe, as good as my questions might be, there are other questions I should consider; like the questions that Jesus asked others.  This is something that I don’t remember considering before, that is, until last summer.  

Last July Judy and I had the opportunity to go back to Cedar Campus, an Intervarsity camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, for their Pastor’s Family Camp.   We joined other Pastors and their families (the Pitzenberg family for one) for a week of refreshment and fellowship.  The speaker for the week was Pastor Ben Patterson.  Ben not only spoke to us but he and his wife, Loretta, pastored the pastors and their families.  Each day Ben taught from scripture, from questions Jesus asked.  We were blessed and challenged by his teaching.  

I remember a car ride with Pastor Bob a short time after we returned from Cedar Campus.  I shared with him some of Ben’s teaching.  Immediately Bob said, “Let’s ask Ben if we can use his teaching outline, and then let’s ask him if he would be willing to come to Faith Church and kick off the series.”  Ben liked the idea and he graciously agreed to give the first message in the series here at Faith the weekend after Easter.   We are in for a treat.    

As we consider Questions Jesus Asked, I believe we will learn a great deal about ourselves and about Jesus.  I believe we will wrestle with life’s truly important questions.  We will consider questions that have to do with the concerns and fears that those close to Jesus had.   Jesus asks questions like these:  Why are you afraid when I am with you?  Why were you looking for Me? Didn’t you know I had to be about My Father’s business?   Do you still not know Me?  Don’t you know what the Bible says about My suffering? Do you love Me?

I believe as we unpack these questions we will begin to read scriptures differently.  I also think the Lord will build up our faith in Him.   And I think we will see that Jesus’ questions of us are questions we need to deal with.  I am grateful for Ben’s insights and excited that we can now all share in this series.  

You may not have heard of Pastor Ben Patterson.  He was the former chaplain at Hope College, and he is currently the chaplain at Westmont College in California where he has been for 16 years.  Ben Patterson is a husband and father, a pastor, a conference speaker, a Christian author, and someone who speaks the truth.   I have sat under his preaching several times over the years, and every time he has been used by GOD to challenge me.

You will not want to miss Ben or the messages that follow in this series.  Plan to invite people to come with you and hear him the weekend of April 22/23.   Let’s be challenged by Jesus’ questions as we let Him ask us these probing questions.