Invariably, as the season of lent goes on, there are in the media, those who come and ask questions that challenge the message of Jesus and of Easter. The questions, no matter how they are phrased have the underlying agenda of making fun of the Gospel and challenging the basic teachings of the Christian faith. The week we call Holy will be marked by another story that says Jesus was not real, Jesus didn’t die, Jesus had six kids, 2 wives and a condo in Bermuda, or any other of those questionable questions that media writers try to fly in order to catch the attention of their readers and watchers—as if the real events, fairly investigated, would not on their own be newsworthy. In this constant barrage of questions, we as Christians sometimes get a bit paranoid about questions, as if all questions reflect either ignorance of the gospel or a challenge to those who proclaim Jesus as Lord. Yet questions are a critical part of our Christian faith, especially as we grow in faith, and especially during this Lenten season when the issue is not the questions we raise, or skeptics raise, but not surprisingly, the questions that the text of Scripture raise as they speak to us, leading us to a deeper understanding of the Gospel. A few decades ago now, as I, as most pastors do before lent, struggled with a thematic approach to the many services of Lent and Easter, I read the many texts again and again because as usual the prepackaged, predigested stuff from the many publishing houses didn’t seem to meet my needs. It’s a good practice to read the texts all at once–you begin to see things you never saw before when you only read individual pericopes. That year I kept seeing something over and over again: Questions? Not just one or two, but lots of them — the Passion of our Lord, the narrative record questions: of onlookers, of the faithful, of the unfaithful, and of Jesus himself and each of those questions seem to draw us, as all good questions do, to seek an answer, an answer that in the finding draws us to the true quest of Lent — a deeper understanding and relationship to the cross, the resurrection and our Living Lord Jesus. Though we don’t have weeks this morning I’d like just to share some of those questions with you this morning? Think about them, remember where they came from and as they come together take a moment to ask which ones are those that touch you where you are today and call you, in their answering, There are the questions that come from Jesus’ enemies, those who, in the smugness of their questions hoped, as people still do, to discredit Jesus. “WHY THIS WASTE?” Jesus critics said when the oil was used to anoint him at Bethany. Why waste such a prescious oil and action on someone you saw as only a threat. But Mary didn’t and she was praised. Even on Palm Sunday they called his actions into question when they questioned Jesus: Do you hear what the Children are saying? For they could not join the hymns of Hosanna that ushers the King into his holy city. The ones who were his own followers asked questions to, not all bringing a good answer. Judas asks: What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you? And who of us has not struggled with what we would give up Jesus for – or have–to our sorrow. Other disciples when Jesus mentioned betrayal responded with a rhetorical question: Surely not I Lord? Asking jesus to tell them no. The one who asks the most questions, the most deeply though provoking questions is Pontius Pilate — and he asks a lot, and how we answer them says a lot about where we are with God. What Charges are you bringing against this man? Addressed to Jesus enemies it brings forth a response: If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you. But Pilate asks more questions of the crowds: Which one do you want me to release to you - Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ? Pilate upset Jesus’ enemies with his questions, not for their answers but for how he addressed Jesus as a King, as the Christ? Are you the King of the Jews? You have said so Jesus replied. Finally Pilate enters into a conversation with Jesus that ends with the most insighful question of all when addressed to Jesus: What is truth? Jesus too asks questions, he was a good teacher and would have used questions as a means to bring forth insight from his followers like: Who do the people say that I am? Who do you say that I am? Still the critical questions of the church and of the world in any age. On Maundy Thursday when betrayed and in the process of being addressed it is Jesus who utters the question to his disciples trying to defend him. DO YOU THINK I CANNOT CALL ON MY FATHER AND HE WILL AT ONCE PUT AT MY DISPOSAL MORE THAN 12 LEGIONS OF ANGELS? Followed by a question that we kneel in answering: How then would the scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way? Even on the cross the questions continue: Two thieves speak: Aren’t you the Christ? Save youself and us? - truer words could not describe what really was taking place. The other said: Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? His enemies questioned him even in his death, revealing the truth in their skeptical words: Come down from the cross, if you are the son of God? But the two greatest questions are left for Jesus, the first uttered to his father: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? So much is revealed in the question, about our sin, about Jesus sacrifice, about what it meant for him to bear the weight of our sin–only this one comes in the native tongue, as if to underline it’s sorrow, it’s pain, and it’s centrality to ansering the reason for Jesus sacrifice. . The questions seem to point again and again to sin, how it works, how it separates, distorts, and yet in their answering we see our Lord standing in love, in grace, in love, not answering the questions with words, but with his actions. But the best questions are left for last, the ones we hear not on Good Friday, but a few days later, in the garden. Woman, Why are you crying? Captures all the sorrow for sin, the lostness, the hopelessness of life without God in the face of death. But my favorite: Why look for the living among the dead? Which is the great question of invitation which leads to heaven’s great reply: He is risen, he is risen indeed. A lot of questions that reveal the journey of lent. Each Lent they challenge me to think anew about my Lords’ sacrifice for my sin, Each lent they call me to see anew his love for me, and the power of the sacrament we share today. I hope next year to spent a few months writing more about them but I pray today, that kneeling at the cross, they give you chance to survey the wondrous cross and be changed by that cross, so that in years to come, you also, may be able to lead congregations, families, and others through this wonderful season of reflection on God’s great love for us in Jesus, who is our Lord and savior forever and ever amen.
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