Church of the Nazarene East Rock

Questions Jesus Asked: “Why are you so afraid?”
Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?

Today we conclude our our 4-part teaching series “Questions Jesus Asked”

Often, we are quite content to ask questions of Jesus. Who are you? Where are you? Do you hear me? How could you let that happen? What do you want me to do?

We often ask questions of Jesus, but do we pause to hear the questions he asks of us?

Today we hear Jesus ask “Why are you so afraid?”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:35-41‬‬
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Jesus notably doesn’t ask you “WHAT are you so afraid of?”

You see the answer to what we are afraid of is easy. We can likely name those things all day long- but there is no healing in that question.

The question Jesus ask’s is “WHY are you so afraid?”

Jesus is asking about WHY we are afraid- Why we don’t trust him or why we don’t think he cares. He wants us to consider those things

Today friends, Jesus already knows why you’re afraid…do you?

After a long day’s teaching, Jesus gave instructions for them to hop in the boat, and head for the other side of the Lake.

The geography around the sea of Galilee is very steep and mountainous, the surface of the lake being some 600 feet below sea level, strong sudden winds were a common phenomenon. But this was no ordinary storm.

The waves are coming over the sides, the water is filling the boat faster than they can bail- they are going down if something doesn’t change. So, they holler for Jesus who exhausted from the day, is sleeping in the front of the boat…

“Jesus! We are gonna die out here, don’t you even care?”

Commentator Robert Guelich says:
“The fear of the storm overwhelmed their commitment to Jesus and their confidence that he did care for them”

In the moment- as the waves overwhelmed the boat, their fear overwhelmed their commitment to Jesus as their loving savior and protector.

We see within their question, there is a subtle rebuke that he doesn’t even care. That’s what Jesus is really addressing in his response. They didn’t trust him

What Jesus addresses in his question is their lack of faith, their lack of trust in him as their Lord.

Their fear of the storm and death lead them to doubt God’s faithfulness, his care, and perhaps even his ability to do something about it.

Pastor and author Jeff Stott says, “The Lord’s rebuke is not about their reaction to the storm, but their reaction to Jesus in the storm.”

Jesus knew the reason they were so afraid. He knew the reason they were rebuking him as if he didn’t care was because their fear had replaced their faith in him. That’s what fear does…

Jesus is calling to us today, trying to get us to see the places where our fear has replaced our faith and trust in him. The places where doubt has crept into our relationship.

If you were to be honest today, what questions are you asking the Lord in the middle of your storm?

Do you find yourself asking like the disciples if Jesus even cares?
Can I trust you with my future?
Can you really heal me?
Is this the best you can do?

We may not verbalize these questions or ever put thought to them, but our fear shows they are there.

What would it look like for you today to replace your fear with Faith?

That’s the invitation

Jesus begin his journey with the disciples saying “let’s go over to the other side.” Today, let’s replace our fear with faith and go with Jesus to the other side. He is faithful. He is Trustworthy. He is Good.

http://bible.com/events/48890499

Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg

Questions Jesus Asked: “Do you want to get well?”
Do you want to get well?

Today we continue in our 4-part teaching series “Questions Jesus Asked”

Often, we are quite content to ask questions of Jesus. Who are you? Where are you? Do you hear me? How could you let that happen? What do you want me to do?

We often ask questions of Jesus, but do we pause to hear the questions he asks of us?

Today we hear Jesus ask “Do you want to get well?”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:1-9‬‬
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,

What begins as perhaps an oddly framed question, ends in life changing transformation.

We see Jesus joining the man in the middle of his pain, in the middle of his hopelessness, and bringing him new life.

When Jesus asks this question- he has a greater healing in view.

We know what healing He has in mind for the man by the pool. What is His intent for you, in this room today?

Jesus makes his way to the pool of Bethesda, where the text says a great number of people who had physical disabilities were lying.

Depending on your translation, you may have noticed that verse 4 is missing in the text. The tail end of verse 3 and all of verse 4 are not found in the earliest manuscripts, meaning they wouldn’t have been Johns original words, but a later author may have inserted them.

So, if we included the text it would read: Here a great number of disabled people used to lie- the blind, the lame, the paralyzed -“waiting for the moving of the water, 4 because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had.

The omitted text contains an explanation of sorts, of why people were at this specific pool.

I think sometimes when we hear things like this in scripture, of people looking to a bubbling spring for healing, we are quick to assume a place of superiority over the people of the bible.

While most of us are not running past the hospital to get over to Lake Shenandoah for healing, we do look to many things for healing or reprieve from the brokenness, pain, and pressure of life, don’t we?

We sit beside the pool of perfection, don’t we?
How often do we sit broken and longing beside the pool of relationships?
The pool of a few beers to take the edge off or to forget our problems.
The pool of approval through followers or likes on social media.

What pool are you sitting beside today?

Within the man’s response we begin to understand that he was fixated on this pool for healing.

His response is so true to our experience it’s easy to imagine right?

“I can’t do it on my own…I can’t get there… I’ve been so close so many times, but I just can’t seem to make it”

“And Nobody will help me… they are all out for themselves… they don’t even see me struggling…they don’t care…”

Having been there 38 years he had given his life to this cure. But he had nothing to show for it, and no hope for a future without it. And that loss of hope is at the heart of it right?

That’s where Jesus enters his Story. That’s the place Jesus wants to bring life.

So, he asks him “Do you want to be healed?”

So, what’s your pool today?

Can you imagine your life differently?

Just like the man in our text today, you may have been searching for healing for so long in other places that you can’t imagine a different future anymore.

The thought that you could live with hope- seems impossible
The idea of life free from addiction, seems unattainable
The reality of forgiveness and a new start- seems like it’s for everyone else.

Jesus asks “Do you want to be healed?”

Will you take the step of faith and embrace Jesus and the life he offers you today? Will you leave the pool behind?

Church of the Nazarene East Rock

Questions Jesus Asked – Do You Want to Get Well?
When you’re ready, He is.

Today we continue in our 4-part teaching series “Questions Jesus Asked”

Often, we are quite content to ask questions of Jesus. Who are you? Where are you? Do you hear me? How could you let that happen? What do you want me to do?

We often ask questions of Jesus, but do we pause to hear the questions he asks of us?

Today we hear Jesus ask “Do You Want to Get Well?”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:1-8‬‬
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

Why did Jesus ask this question?
In asking this question, Jesus is really asking a much deeper question:
-Jesus is asking if he is ready to give up his own methods and depend only on Jesus?
-Is he ready to be free or has his illness become part of his identity?
-Is he willing to reach out his hand for help from the only one who can help him?

“Some, perhaps, may not have yet reached the place this man had reached. They are not helpless enough yet. They are not ready to give up on human efforts to solve their problems. They are not ready to admit they cannot make it on their own. They are still determined to get into the water when it is troubled. Jesus can do nothing for them.”
Ray Stedman

Week 1 Question: “Who do you say that I am?”
Do you know Him?
Week 2 Question: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I say?”
Do you obey Him?
Week 3 Question: “Do you want to get well?”
Do you need Him?

Bottom Line
When you’re ready, He is.