By Chris WittsSunday 29 Dec 2024Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
Yesterday morning, if you were listening, I talked about the big question that Jesus asked. There was one day, we read about in in John’s Gospel Chapter one, where John was with two of his friends and they saw Jesus. They called him The Lamb of God. But, Jesus surprised him with a question – What do you want? And I’m introducing this idea again today about life’s big question. What do you want? I think it’s a loaded question.
What Do You Want? – Part 1 — Morning Devotions
I mean, it almost seems unfair for Jesus to ask a question. I mean, it depends, doesn’t it? I mean, we would like to have some sort of follow up question like, what do I want? When, like, you mean now, or what do I want in general? Or what do I want from the church? Or are you asking what do I want for lunch today? What do you want? It? It is a big question.
The meaning behind the question
But don’t you think that Jesus knew this when he asked it? Yes. The two disciples chose to follow Jesus, but they didn’t seem to be fully certain of what they were doing. There was some hesitancy.
And so when Jesus asked the question, what do you want? They replied, in a rather strange way, I think, Rabbi, they said, where are you staying? That was a question. Now most biblical scholars know that this is a question not just about lodging, but about the nature of Jesus himself. Where are you staying? Means in essence, who are you? I mean, where is the home for you? What’s the centre of your life?
And it wouldn’t be stretching things to translate the disciples’ response. Like at this point, we don’t know whom we are following or where his path is leading. Can you tell us? So there’s more to it than meets the eye. So the disciple’s faith was looking for understanding, and I think it was wonderful that Jesus again said, well, come and see. Jesus knew that in the journey and in the seeing that they would begin to fathom the true meaning of what was happening to them.
And they would, after a while, come to discover what they really wanted. That they were looking for Jesus himself, the Lamb of God. Because it was Jesus who’d give them security and peace and hope. Things that we want too.
So Jesus changed everything. In fact, they couldn’t keep it a secret. They told people about it. And perhaps today you will come and see Jesus for yourself. I certainly hope so, because to understand what you are really looking for would be a wonderful thing.
I recall a group of students were asked by their teacher to make a list of what they thought were the present day seven wonders of the world. Now there were some disagreements among the students, but this was the list that received the top votes – the great Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon, the Panama Canal, the Empire State Building, ST Peter’s Basilica and China’s Great Wall.
And when the teacher got the votes, he noticed that one student had not turned in her paper and he asked, are you having trouble with this? Yes she said, I’m having a bit of trouble. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there are so many. Well, tell us what you’ve got, read the list. And to his surprise, this is what she said. The seven wonders of the world – to see, to be able to hear, touch, number four – to be able to feel, to be able to taste, number six – is to be able to laugh. And the seventh great wonder of the world is to be able to love.
Now, isn’t it amazing? Yes, what do you want? And this girl, this young student had obviously a different way of thinking about what the wonders of the world are. No wonder the Bible says in Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want.
What do you want? That could be Jesus. Question a faith question. And I think, from the movie Evan Almighty – I think the creators of that movie got it right. You might remember the scene in the movie where God is played by Morgan Freeman and he asks this question – if you ask for patience, do you think God just gives you patience, or does he give you opportunities to be patient? If you ask for the ability to love more, do you think that God makes you more loving or does he give you the opportunities to be more loving?
So the big questions in life, I trust you might find some answers.
Let’s Pray
Well, Lord, we do take others for granted so much of the time. But you’ve made us to live in relationships. But we need your help, especially in families. Help us, Lord, to honour members of our family, to find ways to contribute to their well-being. Amen.